Twilight Twins
by Raven Jadewolfe
Summary: Bella and Carlie are twins with mysterious powers.What's the fallout after they are abducted by a psychotic vampire? OOC! mostly canon pairings some OC's NOW COMPLETE! BEING INTERMITTENTLY BETA'D AS OF 9/19/10
1. Goodbye Sunshine Hello Hell

**First thing I need to do is warn all of the people who read this that there will be lemons, violence, cursing, and adult situations during the course of this story. If you are under 18, go read something else**.

**Second, this is my first fan fiction so feel free to review, but remember that every first time author usually makes really big mistakes.**

**Third, I own no copyrighted material!**

**Update September 19 2010—This story is finally being beta'd by the darling whyuh. Thank you so much for undertaking such a daunting task! :-)**

**Part 1**

**Goodbye Sunshine, Hello Hell.**

**(Bella's POV)**

As my sister, Carlie, punches, prods, and squishes the last of her bags into the taxi's overburdened trunk and slams the hood down I say my goodbyes to the sun, sand, and beauty that was Phoenix. This had been a nice home in comparison to some of the horrific cities our family had been forced to endure with Phil's never-ending quest for a concrete professional baseball contract, and all it took was one drunk driver to screw it all up.

Phil's my dad. My Mom is, was, Renee. It hurts to think of them in the past tense. It makes me angry at the jerk who took them away. They had done nothing wrong! In fact, they had been on their way home from a rare date-night when an idiot with too much money, too much liquor, and too little common sense hit their car head on. The doctors assured my twin and me that they had felt no pain, no suffering. "Instantaneous" he had said. The funeral was closed-casket. Carlie had fainted after getting sick behind a tree during the service at the cemetery. The creep at fault didn't even spend a day in jail. Tears welled up in my eyes for what feels like the 1000th time today. My tear ducts are, unfortunately, hardwired to my temper, meaning, if I get mad, I cry. I get sad, I cry. It's embarrassing.

"Bella, are you ready to go?" Carlie's voice breaks my reverie "Uncle Charlie's going to be worried if we miss our flight."

I turn to my sister, whose mahogany hair was disappearing into the car. "Yeah, he'll be calling in the cavalry if we're even a few minutes late." I swallow back the tears again, taking one last good look around, and climb into the taxi.

Carlie and I don't talk much as we sit in our economy class seats during the flight...well, not out loud at least. The conversation in our minds isn't very pleasant at the moment either.

Carlie's pale hand threatens to break mine. *****_**We're going to die, I just know it Bells!**_***** my sister's thoughts echo through my mind for the hundredth time since take off.

I roll my eyes. *****_**We're not going to die Nessie, it's just a little turbulence**_***** I think back to her as soothingly as I can, using the nickname Gran used to call her; _Nessie_, Gran's own little Loch Ness Monster.

I chuckle quietly and Carlie's eyes shift towards me, trying to give me her "death stare" while wondering what's so funny, but too scared to pull it off right. I snap my shield around my mind nice and tight before she could intrude.

I have always been able to block my younger twin from seeing my mind but never fully able to keep her thoughts out of my head, especially when we were touching...it was a real pain in the ass sometimes. Like last fall, when she was shamelessly following her latest crush around but was too afraid to even walk on the same side of the hall with him and not be holding my hand..._Ugh!_ "We're seventeen Carlie, grow up and go talk to him!" I had practically shrieked it at her. But she couldn't even put two words together around that boy. I had to hide the pity I had had for her. I just couldn't understand these emotional roller coasters she was always on over stupid, hormonal teenage boys.

Boys always tried to get my sister's attention, and she was loyal to those she attached herself to...until the next crush came along...then the nonstop buzzing began anew. I never drew the attention of the boys. I didn't carry the aura of mystery and uber girlishness about me like Carlie did. It doesn't bother me too much. Carlie drew boys to her like a bug-zapper draws insects. Bzzzzzzzzz...ZAP!

_Another one bites the dust!_ A second chuckle escapes and another half terrified, half furious glare gets thrown at me. _Geez Nessie!_

Sometimes I wished I could find her batteries and remove them for 5 minutes, just to get some peace and quiet in my own head! Sometimes. But I knew I could never do that to her, our mental bond was too strong, too ingrained. Not to mention Carlie would lose her mind if she had to talk out loud to me ALL the time. She preferred to 'show' me her thoughts on things, for lack of a better explanation.

We never told anyone about our special connection.

Ever.

It was our secret.

Something only twins could do.

Besides, whoever we told would probably just get us matching padded rooms to spend the rest of our natural lives in.

_Oh, joy!_

Our matching chocolate eyes battle for a few moments before another wave of turbulence makes Carlie squeezes her eyes shut again while doing her best to pulverize my hand. *****_**We're going to die, I just know it Bella,**_***** she continues to whimper every time the plane vibrates even the most minutely.

I reach into my jacket pocket with my free hand and turn on my iPod, trying to tune out my sister's visions of mass carnage as the plane plummeted to the ground...

_Hhmm, Muse...works for me._ My mind wanders a bit as my sister's thoughts become mere background noise.

_How did my life turn down this road?_ I was always the serious girl of the Swan Clan. My mother and sister had an annoying tendency of being hare-brained and forgetful. Dad was the All-State Baseball player with the body and looks of a professional athlete, just not the skill of one. We moved around a lot when we were little. _Hah! Little._ We had been preparing to move yet again, Jacksonville Florida this time, when the accident happened. Instead of sunny Jacksonville with miles and miles of tantalizing beaches, we were moving in with our uncle, Charlie, Phil's brother.

_Uncle Charlie..Ugh..._I loved him dearly, but he was the Chief of Police in the backwater town he and my dad grew up in - Forks, Washington. Dad had escaped but Charlie never did. Dad hadn't had a very good relationship with his brother. He and Mom never talked about it much, but I could always see in their eyes that there was more to the story than Mom and Dad hated Forks and just had to run away.

I remember asking my Gran just once about what happened.

"Well Bells," Gran said, using the nickname she'd had for me since the day my sister and I were brought home from the hospital, "a very long time ago, your Mom was with Charlie. They were very young and stupid, like teenagers are. Charlie was content to live the quiet life, even as a teen, and your Mom wasn't. Phil shared the same enthusiasm for life as Renee..." Gran had shaken her head sadly, "I think you know how the rest went, now off to bed with you."

She never said another word about it. I could understand why. Brother against brother, all for the same woman's love. Just the thought of it made my skin crawl. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms, trying to rid myself of the goose bumps that had sprouted.


	2. Part 2 Forks aka 7th Level of Hell

**I do not, nor have ever attempted or actually owned anything concerning SM or Twilight. Just one more fan!**

**What do you get when you cross two teenage girls, a long time, confirmed bachelor, and one bathroom between them...PANIC! CHAOS! DISORDER!**

**Yep, my job is done here.**

**Ti Kallisti!**

**Part 2**

**Forks aka 7th Level of Hell**

**(Carlie's POV)**

The last thing I remember is my fun-impaired, *balance-impaired, fashion-impaired, boyfriend-impaired * sister smirking to herself as I prepared to join our parents in whatever afterlife there may be. I resisted the urge to 'show' her exactly what I was going to do to her if we survived this and settled for replaying scenes of plane crashes I'd seen on the internet.

_***Carlie, wake up, we've landed***_I could hear, even in my head, my sister's exhaustion.

I stretch, dropping my sister's hand, and look around. Everyone was getting their bags and filing down the narrow aisle. I sneak another look at Bella. She looks awful. _When did she sleep last?_ She's already on her feet, trying to juggle both of our carry-ons and walk at the same time. She stumbles and bumps into a red faced older man who kind of reminds me of Santa Claus, but without the joy. He pushes himself past her by the time she recovers, and mumbles an apology.

"Jerk," I mumble as I make the attempt to keep my klutzy sister from killing us both before I get the chance to worship solid ground again. She takes us both down twice before she is stumbling into Uncle Charlie's expectant arms. Bella comes by her lack of coordination naturally. Phil was the graceful one between the Swan brothers. Dad...

"Hey girls, long time no see," Charlie mutters as he is steadying Bella upright again, "How's it going?" He hasn't changed much at all since we last saw him three summers ago. He hasn't changed much since we were kids. A little rounder, a few wisps of gray at the temples. I think the gray makes him look dashing.

"Oh, you know how it goes Charlie, always jet setting off to some exotic locale to stir trouble with the natives," I know my attempt at humor is feeble at best, but under the circumstances, I had to try something.

As Charlie goes to retrieve the rest of our bags, Bella grabs my hand with a moan, _***Oh, no! Charlie brought the cruiser!***_

I follow with my own moan. For a fleeting moment we both had forgotten about Chief Swan's favorite child, his police cruiser. _***What are we going to do Bells?***_

She shrugs, _***Just grin and bare it until we can afford our own vehicles, Nessie.***_ Bella uses Gran's pet name for me when she's trying to make me feel better.

I reach over and touch her hand briefly, _***Great, two strange teenage girls being seen driven around town in the back of Chief Swan's police car. That'll stop traffic***_ She grimaces along with me and I let my hand drop from hers, neither of us wanting to see each other's dread.

Charlie leads us to his vehicle and we pile in after loading luggage. Small talk is made about the weather.

_It's rainy, what else is there to say? Oh yeah, gloomy._ I look out the window as the overwhelming greenery melts into the small town. No wonder Seattle has the corner on the suicide market. Charlie's not big on talking so the three of us ride in silence. It's not uncomfortable, just different. Mom and Dad would babble nonstop from the time we got in the car until we reached our destination. My chest hurts a little as their faces force their way to the forefront of my mind. The guilt washes over me, again.

_After all, it's my fault they're dead._

**Please tell me what you think, but don't start cussing at me and such, I bite back! lol**


	3. Part 3 No, You Did Not Just Do That

**Once again, no matter how often or hard I pray to the Twilight Gods, SM will not hand over copyrights to me, so I continue to enjoy reading/writing about some of today's beloved characters. Just wait til I get that brainwashing gun done Muuuaahhhaaaaa!**

**-How many blondes does it take to screw in a light bulb?**

**-I'm going to get you for this one mutt**

**-Oh, come on, it's right at your IQ level blondie**

**-Go play in traffic. Preferably blindfolded.**

**-It takes 9. One to hold the light bulb, the other eight to turn the house!**

***thuds, smashing, laughter as the evil pixievamp distracts angry blonde by giving her a mirror***

**Part 3**

**No, You Did Not Just Do That.**

**(Carlie's POV)**

As we drive through the streets of Forks, I remember the last conversation I had with my parents...

**(flashback)**

_Bella and I are arguing in the front yard...Gavin is waiting for me in his black Charger...I've been trying to get his attention for ages and now my sister, the prude, is threatening to call Mom and Dad on their one night out together just to get me grounded..._

_"You can't do this to me, you promised!" I screech at my sister as she grabs my purse and almost yanks me off of my feet._

_"You promised that Mom and Dad would know about this one Carlie! Please don't do this...don't go..." she won't let go of my purse!_

_"They do know!" I cut her off before she can play on my sympathies. Of course they know I have a date with a boy...'boy' is a loose term for Gavin, but it will do under the circumstances._

_Bella's eyebrows raise so high I think they're going to become a part of her hairline, "Oh, so they know that you're going out with Gavin Danford, and that he's, like, 10 years older than you?"_

Crap._ Then fury boils up in me and I let it run over. "Not exactly, but Justin canceled on me last minute, and I'm not about to be stuck here with you all night while you moon over Romeo! You can't even find a real guy to be interested in you! That's how pathetic you are! You're just jealous because someone real likes me and I don't have to pretend!"_

Uh-oh, now I've done it. Bella hates it when I mention that she has a crush on a fictional character._ I can see by the look in her eyes that I am a dead woman when I get home tonight. She lets go of my purse and WHAM! she hits me square in the jaw. I stumbled back a step or two, holding my mouth. _Damn! She's never resorted to actually hitting me before_!_

_"No! You did not just do that Bella! How could you?" I couldn't pass up a chance to get my sister into ANY kind of trouble, so I force the tears out of my eyes and run to Gavin's Charger while crying out, "Oh God! I think she knocked out my tooth! I have to get to the hospital!"_

_Gavin just looks at me stupidly._

_"Floor it, let's get the hell out of here," I growl at him out of the corner of my mouth, my eyes keeping watch on Bella. She's so prone to melodramatics from all of those stupid books so it won't surprise me if she throws herself on the hood of the car to prevent my departure._

_But she doesn't._

_She just stands there, fists clenched as we roared down the block. Away from the annoyingly perfect sister. Away from the sickeningly pure thoughts oozing out of her perfect little mind. Away from being runner-up all the time._

_Gavin and I are looking for his friends...they usually hang out at one of those old-fashioned burger stands on a Friday night. It only takes about twenty minutes to find them, no sweat._

_Gavin has me in his lap, I am in heaven! I've only gotten in this deep with a guy once before, and it ended badly, but he's whispering how much he loves me as I take a sip from my soda. My head's feeling lighter than air and I can hear my laughter echoing off of the buildings around us. It sounds so funny that I can't help but laugh harder. It's getting so warm that I take off my jean jacket and toss it on the picnic table. _

_Gavin growls at me and tells me I look good enough to eat. He leans closer to me...could this be it? _Is he going to kiss me?_ My stomach starts quivering at the thought._

_*Ring! Ring!* _

Argh! Stupid cell phone! Should've left it at home! Told Mom I forgot it, not like it would be the first time. _I look at the ID, _SHIT! Mom's number._ I scoot off of Gavin's lap as I answer, "Hello?"_

_(Mom's voice)- "Carlie? Oh my god honey! Where are you? Bella called and said you and she got into a fight and you ran off with some college boy!"_

_***Damn you Isabella!***_

_"No Mom. Well, yeah, we got into a fight, but my friend was just taking me to the ER to make sure Bella didn't break my jaw or crack any of my teeth when she punched me!" _There. Let her take the fall for this. Little Miss Perfect can take the blame for me leaving with a college guy.

_(Mom) "Your dad and I are coming to the hospital right now to talk to the doctor."_

_I could hear my father grumbling about how long red lights take in the background._

_"Mom! I'm going to be okay! The doctor was just finishing up actually, go back and enjoy your date! I'll be home when you get there." _Especially to see Bella get reamed out for this._ I had to stifle a giggle at that._

_(Mom)-"I don't think so. Don't worry Carlie, we'll work this..." a loud screeching sound drowns out Mom's voice and then an awful crunching sound, like someone was trying to fuse two Mack-trucks together at high speed. Then...nothing._

_"Mom?"_

_Nothing._

_I said it again. Still nothing. I hung up and dialed the number again quickly. It rang and rang and finally Mom's voice mail came up, "This is Renee, I must be busy *giggle* at the moment so if *giggle* you would like to leave a message...Stop that Phil... Feel free!" BEEP!_

_"Mom, answer the phone, what the hell was that noise?" I don't care if I get lectured about cussing later, I want to know if my Mom and Dad are okay._

_I panic. Plain and simple._

_I beg Gavin to give me a ride home, but his eyes can't seem to focus long enough to comprehend what I'm asking of him. All of his friends say they'll give me a ride, but the way they're looking at me, I quickly decide that now is the perfect time to call a cab. I'm surprised that I can keep myself from shaking long enough to dial the cab company. I tell them to meet me at a corner shop as I start walking, hoping to get away from the group that had just been eyeing me up like the main course of a feast._

_I don't have enough cash on me to get all the way home, so the cabbie tosses me out 10 blocks from home. I keep trying to reach Mom and Dad on their cells but neither answers. The 15th time I call, some stranger answers it. I hang up and start running home as fast as my legs will take me._

_By the time I make it, it's too late. A police cruiser is sitting in our driveway. Bella is lying on the concrete path while a burly officer holds her. I can hear her hoarse sobs. The officer barely looks up at me as I drop to my knees beside my incapacitated sister. She looks up at me and takes my hand._

_Grief, pain, anger, confusion, loss...over and over...then...accusation._

_"Your fault!" her mind screams at me. There is no one word in any human language to describe the overwhelming emotions that bombarded my senses in that moment._

**(End of Flashback)**

Bella's hand shaking me brings me back. "Come on sleepy head, we're _*shudder*_ home."

I look into her eyes, *my eyes *, for just a moment, searching for that accusation that I hadn't seen since that awful night. There was none. I sigh and steel myself to take on the nightmare that has become my life.

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, SHORT FAT WHITE GIRL ON HER KNEES BEGGING FOR REVIEWS! EVEN IF IT'S BAD, JUST DON'T MURDER ME!**


	4. Part 4 Two Teenage Girls, one bathroom?

**I still don't own Twilight or any of its characters! But I'm working on Plan Z!**

**Part 4**

**Two Teenage Girls, one bathroom? Grab the Camcorder, I'm putting this on YouTube!**

**(Bella POV)**

Charlie helps us get our luggage upstairs. I was prepared to share a bedroom with Carlie like we did at home, but Charlie surprises us both when he informs us that we girls would be taking the two bedrooms upstairs. He thought we would adjust better if we each had some "personal space", at least that's what his friend Billy Black had told him. So he has gotten a few friends to help him with the partial renovation to his basement and now he has a small bedroom and bath to himself downstairs.

Carlie touches my hand briefly, _***He just did it to be even closer to his cruiser,***_ we both have to stifle a laugh, causing Charlie to look at us with a very confused expression on his face.

Our belongings had arrived via moving truck before our plane had landed so all we had to do was arrange our furniture and put away our personal effects. The downside to the triumph of finally getting my own room was that Carlie and I still have to share the tiny bathroom at the top of the stairs.

My sister and I were eyeing up the five shelves in the bathroom while Charlie, oblivious to the danger of being between two teenage girls and the lone bathroom, quickly explains that we didn't have to take just baths anymore, he'd installed a shower and shower head just last week. He then looks around himself and quite possibly realizes the danger he was in. One of the wonderful things about Charlie is: he doesn't hover.

My teenage instincts kick in as soon as Charlie went down to the kitchen, announcing he was ordering us pizza for dinner.

I grab my bag of toiletries and make a run for it.

My twin had the exact same thought and we crash into each other at the top of the stairs. HARD. I go flying backwards, towards the steps, and would have been introduced to the local ER this very day if Carlie hadn't have caught my hand just in time. We wrestle, push, and shove at each other while trying to squeeze through the doorway simultaneously. I trip over her shoelaces and would have knocked myself senseless off of the door frame if she hadn't decided to be merciful and catch me again.

"You know what this means?" Carlie has an evil grin on her face and I knew I was going to regret whatever came out of her mouth next.

"What?"

"I get to put my things in the bathroom first because I saved your life twice in ten minutes big sister!" she practically does a touchdown dance while taking her considerably larger bag of toiletries into the bathroom.

"Carlie Elizabeth Swan, are you blackmailing me?" I was flabbergasted. Blackmail just to get a little more shelf space in a bathroom? Evil. Diabolical. Perfectly Carlie.

"Why, yes, I think I am Isabella Marie Swan," she manages to look slightly shocked at her own deceitful tactic.

_Hmm. Something's not right, she usually only uses blackmail out of desperation._ I try to catch her eyes while she makes a show of arranging and rearranging her bath products. She's deliberately hiding something. What is it this time?

**(Carlie's POV)**

After nearly killing my sister twice in the span of about ten minutes, I decide that it will be best to keep my hands to myself for the time being. I concentrate on arranging my bottles of shampoos and conditioners and soaps in alphabetical order according to brand and then specific treatment. I can feel Bella's eyes on me as I work, like two lasers etching question marks into my skin. I'm a better liar than Bella, though not by much, so I do my best to keep my face smooth while I perform my menial and, well, unnecessary task. After a few minutes of intense scrutiny, she gives up and goes to her room. It's the one facing the street. _I like my room better, it faces the woods. Dark and mysterious. Beautiful._

I'd never have admitted this to Mom, Dad, or even Bella, but I always loved how everything smelled in Forks; the deep, rich earthy smell that just fills your senses when you open a window or walk out your door. That's how the world is supposed to smell. Woodsy and clean, so different from the smog and garbage smell you always get living in the city. Something pure and unspoiled.

_Rain always washing away the mistakes and giving you a new canvas to work with every day._ In that one thought, I realize that there is a chance I could be happy living here. Well, as happy as a murderer who killed their parents with one stupid, selfish act could get.

**(Bella's POV)**

I can't shake the feeling that Carlie is hiding something from me as the three of us sit in Charlie's minuscule dining room and burn our mouths on what turned out to be the best pizza I'd ever tasted. She scoots her chair closer to Charlie as soon as she sat down, avoiding all physical contact with me. Charlie doesn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, so that eases my mind a bit.

Carlie and I mostly talk about finding jobs and saving up enough money to buy vehicles so our uncle won't feel obligated to chauffeur two teenagers around everywhere. Charlie responds by telling us that he has already bought a truck from his friend Billy, who lives out on the Quileute Indian Reservation in La Push. He blushes as he apologizes for not having acquired a second vehicle yet.

Carlie surprises me yet again when she announces that I can have the truck. I am the older sibling after all, and she's willing to wait and see what comes up for sale in her price range.

Our uncle huffs and mumbles, "I got something for one of you it wouldn't be fair if I didn't get for the other." Carlie tries to argue with him but soon realizes that it is a lost cause. It's easier to just shut up and smile.

Carlie and I volunteer to take over kitchen duty as we would be making twice the mess and eating twice the food. Charlie was immediately grateful and admits with a blush that the only thing he is good at cooking in the kitchen is his morning coffee before work. He makes his way into the living room and turns some kind of game on, baseball I think, and leaves us girls to wash and hand dry (no dishwasher) the dishes and put everything away. Carlie relaxes a little more as we sit and make out a grocery list.

We had done the grocery shopping at home because Mom was a very inventive chef and more often than not, her experiments went completely wrong. Carlie touches my hand, remembering a memory of one of Mom's fiascos. Our kitchen looked like it had been painted by a group of toddlers. Noodles, sauce, and vegetables, and quite possibly the entire cast of Scrubs (Mom's favorite show-Dad's had been the newly revitalized Doctor Who) had been flung everywhere, including all over Mom. She had misread the directions (we never did find out if it was accidental or not) and had placed the aforementioned ingredients into a food processor and hit **Whip**. Whatever she was making at the time was ruined. She had forgotten to put the lid on the food processor.

Dad had come in to see what had happened right behind us. Mom thought he'd be mad, but he was used to these mad experiments of hers.

All he had said was, "Do you think you could do it again? I want to catch it on video and I'm putting it up on YouTube!" She had thrown a pot at him for that remark. He always said he'd fix that nick in the door frame, but somehow he'd managed to avoid it until...the end...

I could feel the wince in Carlie's mind as she pulls her hand free. The sudden separation makes me gasp as my mind becomes my own again.

"What did you do this time Bella?" our uncle calls from the living room.

"Nothing Charlie, just stubbed my toe on the table leg." Please, oh please, don't look in and realize I still have shoes on!

"Bella..." I could imagine him shaking his head as he returned to his game.

Just then, we could hear a vehicle pull into the driveway.

"Ah, finally!" Charlie heaves himself off of the cushions and starts walking outside, motioning for us to follow as he passes the kitchen. My twin and I exchange a slightly horrified glance andget up to pursue our suddenly grinning uncle, glad to have another distraction sent our way, no matter what it was.

In typical sibling fashion, we race outside to see what all the commotion is about. I should have known better. I did know better. I was two steps ahead of my sister when my foot came down too close to the edge of the step. I go flying forward, onto my face. Carlie's legs get tangled in my flailing limbs and gravity decides at that moment that she needs to go down with me.

After a few seconds of roaring laughter, I look up and see two russet skinned figures staring down at us. One is older, in a wheelchair and a much-abused cowboy hat on his head. The other is younger, maybe younger than my sister and I, with a big smile and laughter in his eyes. Charlie helps us to our feet.

Once he's fairly sure that I won't spontaneously fall over again, he introduces us, "Billy, Jake, meet my nieces, Bella and Carlie Swan. Nessie, Bells, this is Billy Black and his son, Jacob."

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, SPARE A FEW SECONDS TO REVIEW, I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT! OTHERWISE I MIGHT HAVE TO PROVOKE THE VOLTURI AND BLAME YOU!**


	5. Chapter 5 Not so starcrossed after all?

**I hereby proclaim myself a Twilight addict but I still can't seem to get my hands on the rights to any of SM's works or anything that has to do with The Twilight Saga. Oh, well, guess I'll just keep writing fan fiction.**

_In Your Eyes- Peter Gabriel (still don't own anything!)_

_love I get so lost, sometimes days pass and this emptiness fills my heart when I want to run away I drive off in my car but whichever way I go I come back to the place you are_

_all my instincts, they return and the grand facade, so soon will burn without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside_

_(In your eyes)  
the light the heat (In your eyes)  
I am complete (In your eyes)  
I see the doorway to a thousand churches (In your eyes)  
the resolution of all the fruitless searches (In your eyes)  
Oh, I see the light and the heat in your eyes oh, I want to be that complete I want to touch the light the heat I see in your eyes_

_love, I don't like to see so much pain so much wasted and this moment keeps slipping away I get so tired of working so hard for our survival I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive_

_and all my instincts, they return and the grand facade, so soon will burn without a noise, without my pride I reach out from the inside_

_(In your eyes)  
The light the heat (In your eyes)  
I am complete (In your eyes)  
I see the doorway to a thousand churches (In your eyes)  
the resolution of all the fruitless searches (In your eyes)  
Oh, I see the light and the heat in your eyes oh, I want to be that complete I want to touch the light,  
the heat I see in your eyes in your eyes in your eyes in your eyes in your eyes in your eyes in your eyes_

**Part 5**

**Not so star-crossed after all?**

**(Bella's POV)**

I still have a hold of my sister's hand when she uses her free one to shake Jacob Black's outstretched hand. It feels like a slight jolt of electricity jumps through him into her as soon as they touch. _Weird! I can hear Carlie's breathing has stopped. _

*****_**Breathe sis,**_***** her eyes are locked on his for just a second too long. Uncle Charlie chuckles, as both react with a little jump.

"Come on girls, give Jake some room to breathe, besides, you want to see the first present, don't you?"

I nudge my dazzled twin, "Yeah Carlie, the truck?"

She slowly turns to look at me. There is a look in her eyes that I have never seen before.

"What?" she barely whispers.

"The truck that Uncle Charlie bought, silly. It's right behind you!" I was beyond floored at my sister's unusual reaction to Jacob Black. On one hand, I want to take her and run as far away as my legs can take us, and on the other hand, I yearn to push her into his arms. I have no doubt that he can catch her. Odd. I've never met this gawky, yet adorable, young man before, but I'm sure of it.

Charlie and Billy are now catching up on the latest gossip, thankfully oblivious to the way Jake and Carlie move out of the way just enough to separate themselves from us. I give my sister a questioning look and she just shrugs and smiles in encouragement to inspect the faded red pickup sitting in the driveway.

**(Carlie's POV)**

One minute I'm being introduced to Charlie's friend, then turning to his son. Large, slightly almond shaped eyes the color of espresso look into mine. My mind just ceases to function as I take in the depth of those eyes boring into my own. As soon as our hands touch, I feel a shock run through my hand, through my body. It doesn't make me afraid, instead I blush.

"Hi, I'm Jake," a voice that is a perfect mixture of honey and chocolate with something else mixed in, but I can't place it. I force myself to focus on his smile, big mistake.

"I'm, umm...Carlie," I finally manage to get out. _Oh crap! I sound just like a complete moron! This boy, I can't think right when I look into those deep, soulful pools._ Bella gives me a questioning look, but I smile and quickly shake my head, trying to reassemble my thought process. _What the hell is wrong with me? I haven't been like this since...well, never like THIS. He felt it too, I can see it in is eyes. He's not afraid either. _

I want to ask him, but I hear my sister's surprised voice, "You're joking right? Oh, my God, it's perfect!"

He leans closer to me, his musky scent invading my senses. "If you want to keep holding my hand Carlie, we might want to get out of your sister's way so she can look at the truck," he whispers and takes a step back. He doesn't loosen his grip on my hand as he moves.

_Wow! He has big hands! Rough, but in a good, comforting way. I still can feel that little current running between us_. I stumble over my own feet as I try to keep a hold of him. Dammit girl, get a grip, you're not Bella, stop acting like a bumbling fool!

He gives a light chuckle as I fall against his chest. I can feel the muscles ripple through his fleece jacket. I blush inadvertently as I silently curse it being January instead of mid-summer, when those muscles would not be hidden behind a heavy coat.

"I thought Bella was supposed to be the clumsy one, yes?" his voice low and suddenly husky. I think I feel him hold me tighter against him for the briefest second before letting me go. That current disconnects and a wave of disappointment washes over me.

_What is wrong with me?_ I ask myself again. _He's only, like, 15!_ Then I remember he is waiting for an answer, so I try to make a joke out of the situation.

"Um, I'm not exactly used to walking around with devious ice patches lying in wait to assassinate me," I point out the little evil spots around us. He laughs and I can hear the definitive stirrings of manhood, not the high pitched tinkling of most adolescents.

"So, you like the truck? I rebuilt the engine myself," pride oozing from every pore of his russet skin. _So beautiful._ Not like the pale, almost corpse-like skin tone Bella and I share. Well, it looks corpse-like here. In most lights, our skin is that soft pale that a lot of those Goth girls would kill for. I know this because I had one tell me this very thing. In Forks, however, under the constant cover of clouds and rain, it gave us that unhealthy pallor.

I force myself look at the vehicle and give it a quick once-over. "Not bad, especially since it looks to be about 100 years old," noticing a quiet burst of hurt in his eyes, "I mean, it looks like it's in great shape, I'm just used to seeing newer cars. In Arizona, we were surrounded by kids who got new BMW's for their birthdays. Not that our parents could ever afford them. We couldn't even afford to get a car that Bella and I could share." Saying my sister's name reminds me of a world other than his beautiful face. I glance over to her; she appears to be completely smitten with the faded red paint, bulbous cab, and the sheer "oldness" of the pickup. _Old truck for an old soul._

"What do you think, Bells? Could you see yourself showing up for school in it tomorrow?"

She looks at me, a genuine look of pleasure on her face," Of course I can, I love it!" She bounces in Charlie's direction, arms opening to hug him. His returning embrace becomes a rescue when one of the dreaded ice patches finally ambushes my less coordinated sibling. Charlie's face turns a bright scarlet at Bella's obvious enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Uncle Charlie, it's the best!" she gushes.

He pats the top of her head softly, "Well, you're very welcome, Hun, but you should be thanking Billy and Jacob. I just bought it from Billy here and Jake's completely rebuilt the engine so you shouldn't have any problem's with it."

My sister isn't usually big on emotions or physical contact with people, but she leans down to Billy and gives him a brief hug, "Thank you, Billy, it's wonderful," she mutters quietly, shyness returning at the moment of human contact.

She then turns to where Jake and I are standing, "Thank you too, Jacob, I, we really appreciate it."

"Anytime, Bella," Jake says, but his eyes are on me again. I feel the heat rush up my face, so I pull my hair forward on the side he's standing, vainly hoping to hide it.

"Carlie," he begins, but is cut off by Charlie suddenly yelling.

"Pizza's here!"

We both jump at the sudden sound invading our little bubble. It's beginning to drizzle so Charlie suggests we move our conversations into the warmth of the house. Billy laughs, but politely declines saying he's got to get Jake home to do his homework.

"Do you want a ride to school tomorrow?" the words topple out before I can stop them.

His smile falters for a moment, "Actually, I go to school on the reservation." His eyes, so open and honest, I can see he is disappointed.

There is another shift in his eyes, "Maybe the next time Charlie's down on the rez to go fishing, you can come visit? Bella too, of course."

I can't help but think he's forgotten about my elder twin until just then. I feel my stomach do a flip. "Maybe. I'll ask, okay?" _Why did I just ask this confounding, beautiful boy if it was okay to ask my uncle?_ This can't be good. _I'm an idiot. But he's just so.._

"Sounds great!" he interrupts my musing. "See you soon then. I hope." His last words are so quiet that I can't be sure if he actually said them.

"Bye," I manage to get out before Bella grabs my arm and starts dragging me back to the house. My legs don't want to obey, but I finally to convince them it is for the best because the rain has begun to fall harder.

Later the same night.

**(Carlie's POV still)**

After dinner, Bella and I clean the kitchen and tidy things up around the house while Charlie makes his way to the living room, talking about some game that was on. It was easier for us because we cheated. Using our "gifts" with Charlie so close was something our mother would have frowned upon, but when you can convince the dishes to do themselves (remember-no dishwasher) while you dry them and put them away instead of getting covered in soapy water or having your agility declined sister shred herself on a butter knife, it's not that big of a deal. So, that's how Bella and I agreed to do things. We could still use our abilities, just more subtly than when we had lived at home with people who knew.

Our mother had just started teaching us about our abilities last September, on our sixteenth birthday, so we couldn't do much. We had been so accustomed to Mom's weird little way of doing things, that it was never a big deal to see things that would fit right into a Harry Potter book or an episode of _Charmed_, but it didn't stop us from bubbling over with excitement when Bella and I had started showing signs of the same talent as our mother. Mom never treated it as an abnormal thing or something to fear. No, it was just how we were. And we also knew, instinctively, that we couldn't show anyone. So, Charlie's left out of the loop. It was for the best.

I felt a surge of pity well up in me just then. _Poor Charlie_. He'd been living a quiet life only to be accosted by two grieving teenage girls. Uncle Charlie had spent so many years building up his day-to-day routines that neither of us could really bring ourselves to say or do anything that would upset his life any more than it already had been. We were too grateful for a multitude of reasons. First, he was willing, almost eager, to accept us coming and staying with him instead of being put into the system, second, he promised to make things easier for us and to do the best he could even though he knew nothing about raising kids, more specifically, adolescent females.

He had been unable to attend the funeral of our parents, but it was understandable. He had never planned to miss it, never intended to leave us to stay with a friend of our Mom's for two weeks afterward. He certainly had not planned on us flying north alone, but duty had called and Chief Swan could not ignore it. Two motorcycles carrying four college students from Seattle had collided with an eighteen-wheeler carrying lumber on the road Charlie had taken on his way to the airport. The ambulances hadn't even had the time to arrive yet when he had come across the carnage. The truck driver had been frantically attempting to revive two of the victims, the others beyond aid. So Charlie had immediately gotten on his radio and began issuing orders to his office in Forks. He'd hen spent the next 15 minutes performing CPR on the second living victim. He'd even ridden to the hospital with her because she had pleaded with him not to let her go alone.

After that horrible incident, he had been preparing for the flight down to retrieve us when he received a phone call that a group of hikers had found the body of a lone hiker while they were looking for a nice camping spot off of one of the less traveled trails. He'd thought it had been an accident, that the man had fallen from one of the rock faces while climbing, but he needed to be sure before he left.

He had been so full of remorse when he'd called to tell us of the latest tragedy. He had apologized over and over, saying he knew how hard it was, he'd be there as soon as he could. Bella had told him to stop worrying a few dozen times, then managed to convince him to stay where he was, do his duty. People depended on him, and we weren't in any immediate danger. She'd politely suggested that we could stay at a family friend's house for the time, giving us more time to say goodbye, sifting through things that we had wanted and packing them up to be sent with the moving trucks. Charlie finally caved then offered to find a long-term storage unit to store the rest of our parents' belongings in up in Forks so they would be available when/if we needed them. We had been so happy that we had been given more time in the house, surrounded by our family's belongings and memories that neither of us objected when he stated that he would even pay for the unit, no matter how long it was needed.

Bella touches my shoulder as she passes, on her way upstairs, her thoughts filled with similar images, but also informing me that it was getting late. I nod and look around, making sure everything is done. Bella had cleaned the entire kitchen top to bottom while I had taken my time with the dishes. I couldn't help a short snicker from escaping.

My sister has always been such a grown up. It always felt like she was the mom taking care of me, Mom, and Dad. She's the one who always made sure that we had groceries, never missed a doctor's appointment, reminded mom when and where the dry cleaning needed picked up. Bella always remembered things.

When I went through my phase of taking dancing, then singing, then acting classes, even ballet, she never missed a practice or a recital. She always helped me practice, even though those things never held interest for her. She always preferred her books and was perfectly happy to spend most of her waking moments with them, but pulled herself away to help me with whatever thing I was currently obsessed with. She had been the same way with Mom too. It didn't matter if it meant being tortured by aerobic classes or poetry readings, Bella was patient and understanding. I knew I gave my twin a lot of grief, but she's actually the reason I am as sane as I am. I would never admit it out loud, but I look up to my sister.

I put the last dish in the cupboard and say my good night to Charlie as I trudge up the stairs, suddenly exhausted. Bella is already in her room, probably trying to find warm enough clothes to wear to school tomorrow.

"You getting a shower tonight?" I ask at her door.

"No, I'll get one in the morning, you go ahead," is the quiet reply.

"Okay. G'night then, Bells."

"Night, Nessie."

I make my way into my room to scare up my pajamas. I enter my room with a clear picture of my favorite pj's in my head. Light grey, cotton cami and grey and black plaid flannel pants. I close my eyes and call to them silently, willing them to my hand. A whisper of sound and I feel fabric brush against my hand. I grasp the fabric and open my eyes. _Yes!_ I had done it! My pajamas firmly in my grasp. Bella didn't always have such luck. If the object she called for came, it usually hit her with a smack! Mom had said it was because Bella was so forceful once she'd made up her mind to do something.

I slip out of my room and into the bathroom. I turn on the water, making sure it is nice and hot. I purposely avoid looking into the mirror as I shed my clothes and step into the now steam filled shower. The water feels good. It begins loosening my stiff and tired muscles as it flows over me. As I stand there and revel in the water, my mind wanders back to Jacob Black, and my cheeks suddenly felt hotter than the water running over me.

Our conversation had only lasted a few minutes, but my mind stretched around those moments and made them flow from horizon to horizon. The way the feeble light had danced over his long rave-black hair, making it shine. The color of his skin epitomized what the word 'warm' truly was; a rich, deep red brown against my pale skin when he had held my hand. The thought sends a shiver through me.

"You're going to get yourself in trouble," I thought to myself, but I couldn't force the memories away. The memory of our eyes locking together. In that nanosecond, he was my universe. Those dark, mysterious orbs had undone my entire mind in that moment. I had never been so taken, so entranced with another person in my entire life. What made it so frustrating was that I didn't even know who he was!

_Argh!_ I smack my hand off of the tiled wall. _Why can't I get him out of my head? It's not like I'll see him often, no matter how often Charlie goes fishing_. My heart contracts painfully in my chest.

Not see him again? I couldn't bring myself to even consider that possibility. I had to see Jacob Black again. It didn't matter that I had no idea where he lived, except on the Quileute reservation and no way to get in touch with him, aside from my uncle. I would see him again, and soon. I had to.

The water was becoming noticeably cooler, that's my cue that shower time's over. I turn the spigots off and climb out. First dry the body, hair up in towel. Lather body in lotion before pulling on pajamas. I mentally check each task off of the list.

_Brush teeth, check. Slather on moisturizer, check. Dirty clothes go in hamper, check_. I switch off the bathroom light and pad back to my room in the dark. I'm not as worried about tripping as my klutzo sister.

Once in my room, I turn on the small lamp by the bed and start rummaging through my clothes to pick an appropriate outfit for my first day of school. In a place that has less than 400 students, it won't take much to get noticed. Before my parents death, I would have welcomed the stares and whispers, but now it will just be more painful. Too many people will already know the story of why Chief Swan's twin nieces have come to live with him and I don't want to give any of the other kids the impression that I want to talk about it. For once, I am hoping I can be like my sister and blend in with the scenery just to avoid the inevitable barrage of inquiries that await us.

I finally decide on my hipster jeans and a dark burgundy turtleneck. I feel a pang of regret as I lay them on my dresser. Phoenix had spoiled me with its delightfully warm weather.

_Hell, it was 72 F last New Year's! I don't think it gets that warm in Washington until July._ I look towards a bag of clothes ruefully. Warm weather clothes, my favorite kind. My mini jean skirts, my sheer tank tops. I blow out a heavy sigh. My favorite pair of shoes, black strappy sandals with silver studs and 3 inch heels, sits on top of the bag. I had originally intended to wear them to school tomorrow, but the rain still hasn't let up and I'm not going to tempt fate and end up falling in front of the whole student body my first day. I move across the space and put them back in the bag before chucking the whole thing to the back of my closet. I set my alarm on the antique nightstand and crawl, gladly, into bed. It's been a long day and I can't wait to escape it all. All but Jacob Black.

His brilliant smile and playful eyes dance through my mind until sleep finally takes me.

**(Bella's POV)**

My younger sibling was acting strangely throughout the evening. She normally rambles to fill in the silences I prefer, but as we had cleaned the kitchen, she hadn't said a word. I went through the kitchen, urging old papers to stack themselves neatly on the counter, making the broom sweep the faded linoleum. Carlie still hadn't spoken. I moved through the rest of the small house, avoiding the living room as I cleaned. Charlie didn't know about his nieces' abilities and I intended to keep it that way.

Most people didn't know, and wouldn't understand if they did. I mean, how many people do you know who are able to use what can be loosely termed "magic" and it be more than a parlor trick?

Besides, one of the first rules Mom had taught us was to keep the secret. She'd never treated us special and explained to us that that's how it should be. It was safer for us this way because there were so many people in the world that would use us to do the wrong things and they would be able to find ways to make us do them, no matter how hard we resisted. No one could know unless you trusted them with your very soul. No exceptions.

As scatterbrained as Renee was, occasionally she surprised everyone with true wisdom. I remembered asking her if we were wizards or magicians or sorcerers, she had laughed at our confused expressions and explained that she enjoyed "witch" the best. It was easier than any other name and could be said in a regular conversation and not pick up many odd looks from anyone eavesdropping.

I trip over my sister's purse while trying to hang my rain coat up, spilling some of its contents. I bend down to toss them back in and touch a familiar bottle- Mom's favorite perfume. I couldn't pronounce the name even if I tried and it smelled odd to me, but she had loved it. I jam it back into the bag and hang it over Carlie's jacket.

Thoughts of my parents threaten to crush the careful barrier I had erected and I decide it's time for me to go to bed. It will be easier to have a full on crying session when I know I won't be seen. Charlie is terrified of girls crying and Carlie is caught up in her own thoughts so, she isn't an issue either.

Charlie comments on the late hour my last unavoidable pass through the living room, so I tell Carlie how late it is. She doesn't answer. I touch her shoulder, trying to hide my thoughts as I explain how late it is. I quickly say good night to Charlie and go as fast as I can upstairs, careful not to trip. Once in my room, I hide myself under the thick comforter and let the barrier down. The sound of the rain bouncing heavily off the roof easily muffles my sobs and I'm suddenly glad it's raining. Carlie will freak out if she knows I am in here going to pieces.

"You getting a shower tonight?" Carlie's voice inquires from the hall.

I force my voice to be steady, "No, I'll get one in the morning, you go ahead." _Please don't open the door, please oh please. _

"Okay. G'night then, Bells," she starts moving away from the door.

"Night Nessie."

I hope she hears me. I hear the bathroom door close and the shower turns on.

My tears continue to fall long into the night. The storm is a two-edged sword tonight. It hides the sounds of my grief but in return, prevents me from falling asleep as quickly. I put a pillow on top of my head, under the blanket that's already there. It helps, but I know it's after midnight when my eyes finally close.

**I really appreciate those that have stopped by and read my story thus far, but please please please review! Your input helps to inspire me to keep writing! Hit that button and give me a review, I know you can do it! I believe in you!**


	6. Chapter 6 High SchoolOh, Joy

**I don't own anything from SM or Twilight blah blah blah..And for your information, I have my Edward...I just wished mine acted more like Stephenie's...**. ;-)

_Head Spin- Collide(no owning by me)_

_oh my my there's a lot you could learn when you're trying to get by oh my my there's a chance you'll get burned_

_here and now object unwind here and now really makes my head spin fall through the edge fall from the sky fall through the earth really makes my head spin_

_touching the ground get what you give turning around like a delicate alien touching the ground get what you give coming down like some kind of alien_

_here and now object unwind here and now really makes my head spin fall through the edge fall from the sky fall through the earth really makes my head spin_

_where are you to go when you're trying to get by there's another chance that you'll get burned_

_here and now object unwind here and now really makes my head spin fall through the edge fall from the sky fall through the earth really makes my head spin_

_here it is so read the signs all that you could know all there is you're first in line really makes my head spin soaring in oblivion falling one by one is this really all there is really makes my head spin all my wisdom_

_here and now object unwind here and now really makes my head spin fall through the edge fall from the sky fall through the earth really makes my head spi_n

**Part 6**

**High School...Oh, joy.**

**(Carlie POV)**

Bella drives us to school while I complain about the ancient radio. She looks at me from time to time, but doesn't speak aloud. I take out my pack of menthols and light one. I usually only smoke around Bella when I'm nervous or scared; I know she doesn't approve. She rolls her eyes, but allows it. She must be as nervous as I am. The truck's roaring engine is oddly comforting and I find myself drifting back into the semi-stupor I'd been in since the alarm roused me from the most amazing and disturbing dream.

I was back in my old school, back in Phoenix, but I didn't know anyone. People kept staring at me like I had grown a third arm or a second head. I was walking past the glass walls that made up two of the walls of the school library when I finally saw what they were staring at. Jacob Black had been walking right beside me, his hand in mine, but he was different. Gone was the handsome young man and standing in his place was someone I can describe only as a Native American tribal chieftain from the Old West. He wore nothing but warpaint, a loincloth, doeskin leg wrappings, and this intricate bone chest covering that looked amazing, even for a dream. Two small braids framed either side of his face. He gazed lovingly down at me, coming closer and closer until our faces were almost touching. He suddenly fell to the floor, writhing in pain.

Terror pierced my heart. My Jacob was gone, and a huge russet-furred wolf was in his place. This wolf didn't frighten me one tiny bit for some reason and my moment of fear subsides. There was something so natural about this but I couldn't place it. I knew I was safe as long as this wolf was with me. I grabbed the scruff of the wolf's neck and swung myself onto its back, like I would a horse. I knew it could carry my weight with no problem.

Then we were running.

The halls of the school melted into a lush, thick forest all around us. I could feel the wind on my face as we ran, it felt like flying. The muscles of the wolf rippled beneath me, powerful and sure. We ran on and on, dodging and weaving around trees, just reveling in the way the cool breeze felt. I knew this wolf, I loved this wolf, just as he loved me. My furry guardian was better than a knight in shining armor or a cute guy with a fast car. Certainly better than any hero in one of my sister's books. I heard the muted sound of other paws as they thumped against the ground all around us. They weren't trying to hurt us, they were just trying to keep up. And it worked, they were gaining on us.

I leaned down to the wolf's ear, "Faster my love, faster," I had whispered. (_My love? Had I really just said that_?) I heard an almost human chuckle come from the wolf and his ears flattened before his head lowered, closer to the ground, as I felt a surge of power in the body beneath me and the wolf launched forward, faster than ever before. Soon, the drumming of the others had fallen away, too slow too keep up with us. We bolted out of the forest onto a beach, where the wolf stopped and waited expectantly. With my head spinning slightly, I had climbed down. I knew that's what he waited for.

I had looked towards the ocean, lost in its beauty for just a moment, when I felt warm arms wrap around me. His skin was so hot it almost burned, but I enjoyed the feeling. His hot breath against my neck as he kissed it. A shiver had run through my body, but I was far from cold. I turned myself around in his arms, wanting more than just a kiss on the neck, and I saw _HIS_ face. Jacob. No longer the chieftain from the school, but just as handsome. His easy smile played on his lips and I yearned with everything I was to have them against mine...

*****_**We're here.**_***** I felt Bella's hand on mine.

I looked around. Sure enough, we were parked in the student parking lot of Forks High School. I unhooked my seat belt and threw open the door. I was unprepared for the cold after riding in the warm cab, my body felt like curling up in a tight ball and hibernating until spring. I force my body to straighten up and walk around to the back of the truck to retrieve my backpack. I pull her's and mine out, turning just in time to save Bella from crashing into the tailgate.

*****_**Thanks,**_***** her words push themselves through the lingering remnants of my dream.

I could feel her curiosity spike so I quickly drop my hands away from her, blushing furiously. I hand her backpack to her and off we go to find the main office. One of the buildings nearest the parking lot has a sign that reads 'Main Office' so we open the door and walk in.

The warm air of the office is nice. A single person occupies the office, older, obviously bottle-red hair, wearing a t-shirt that is a horrid shade of purple.

"Can I help you?" she asks.

Bella steps forward," Yes, I'm Isabella Swan, this is Carlie Swan. We're supposed to start classes today?" I cringe as recognition lights her face up. _What stories are racing around her head? _

"Of course! We've been expecting you. I'm Mrs. Cope, by the way." She rummages around her desk, moving through stacks of folders that defy gravity and manage to stay together.

She pulls out two folders and brings them back over, "Here you go dears." She proceeds to show us the most direct routes to our classes. Someone has gone so far as to highlight the path to each class in a different color. We each get handed a paper along with instructions to have it signed by each of our teachers and return it to the office at the end of the day.

We walk out of the office, comparing classes. The only classes we have together are Trig and Gym..._Ugh._ In Phoenix we only had to endure two years of gym, but I guess because the kids were stuck inside so often up here, on account of the rain, someone decided that the students needed four years of gym instead.

_Gee, thanks. Two more years of gym._ Being a junior, I had been looking forward to being done with that part of my high school experience. When your sister is the most accident prone person in three counties, you have a tendency to share the same reputation. Not like I was a big fan of competitive sports or anything, I just didn't want to have to deal with the horrified expressions when they realize that there were _two_ Swans, and then their immediate dread that we were exactly alike when it came to agility.

_On the plus side, gym is the last class of the day, so I don't have to worry about smelling the rest of the day. I can go right home and get a shower after battling Bella over who gets to go first._

Bella's first class and mine are in two separate directions and I realize, after she walks away, that I should have bought my sister a GPS to carry around. At least a compass. I pull my cell out of my bag just long enough to make sure it's on and the ringer is set to vibrate before heading to the first class and into what could possibly be the second worst day of my life.

My favorite class is right before lunch- Art. The teacher, Mrs. Cole, is one of those New Age types but seems really nice. She asks me what I had learned at my previous school and I had pull out my sketch book. She looks at each picture with a critical eye that surprises me before handing it back and directing me to an open workspace. They had just begun their projects to be entered into the spring art show that the school holds every year. Different materials can be used. Clay sculpting, pottery, weaving, even wood carving was allowed. Whether we want our pieces to be entered is up to the individual but the project still counts as 1/3 of our final grade and will determine if we are allowed into Art IV our senior year. I guess that class was introduced to metal and ice sculpting. More than I had expected out of a back water Art program.

I know my project will be a painting immediately. I love the way you could turn paintings into so many things as the final image blossoms. I get out my supplies and quickly get to work sketching. I don't force it; I just let my hands flow over the canvas, feeling the image come to me. I am shocked to see that the Jacob/Chieftain is what gets penciled onto the white fabric. Pleased and surprised I can remember the exquisite details of the figure from my dreams, I decide to see where it takes me. I keep the pencil moving until the Jacob/Chief figure is standing in a clearing within that lush forest, and he is flanked by a pack of wolves. Mrs. Cole interrupts me then, her hand coming to rest on my shoulder. She politely informs me that the bell had rung five minutes before.

So I rush through the halls in an effort to get to the cafeteria, I haven't seen my sister since Trigonometry, which was actually right before Art, but it still seems like it has been days. In my hurry, I trip, stumble, and bump over at least a dozen people or things, no doubt reinforcing the idea that both of the Swan twins are hopelessly uncoordinated. I finally find it. I laugh out of pure joy as I haul the heavy doors open and begin the hunt for my twin.

I only buy a bottle of apple juice in my haste, bypassing the entire string of food choices. I don't feel like eating anyways. I finally see a familiar mane of dark hair at a table with about seven or eight people. Two boys are strutting like peacocks around her, but her head is turned away. I can't tell what she's looking at until I stand beside her - A group of kids on the other side of the cafeteria, two girls and three boys. Two blondes, two brunettes and one I can only classify as auburn. All of them are rather attractive, pale skinned too, all in need of a good night's sleep. I think I recognize the little dark haired girl from my History class, but I'm not positive. No one is bothering them and they aren't talking to one another. The auburn haired boy peers in our direction briefly, his face betraying a hint of annoyance before he turns away once more.

"What are you looking at? Anything good?" I whisper in her ear. Bella jumps as she realizes I'm right beside her.

"Carlie! I wondered when you'd appear." She scoots over in her chair to make room for me then introduces me to her friends. She touches my hand under the table when she's done. *****_**How was your morning**_**?*** Even her thoughts sound tired.

*****_**Long. Art was fun though. You should have taken it.***_I show her the class but gloss over the sketch that had consumed the past hour.

*****_**Ah, you know I can't draw Nessie. You're the artsy one. I just spend all my time with my head in classical literature,**_***** she says as she opens her mind to me, images of Eric and Mike, the peacock duo, vying for her attention all morning. I sympathize with her and her inability to avoid the Labrador boy, Mike, and her discomfort of Eric's interest.

*****_**At least people have looked at you, everyone that sees me probably thinks I'm just you again,**_*** s**he laughs this time and some of the tension leaves her form.

*****_**Would you mind switching clothes with me then? Maybe then Mike and Eric can do stupid human tricks for you while I get some peace for a little while.**_***** We both laugh at that, drawing an odd look from one of the girls, Jessica, I think her name is, but I ignore her until she goes back to her conversation with a blond girl.

As the group of pale skinned beauties passes by us, exiting the lunch room, I get the feeling Bella is trying to get into my head.

*****_**What Bella?**_***** She startles, again, she was watching them leave.

*****_**Nothing. I didn't say anything. Why?**_*****

_Okay, maybe my imagination is switching to overdrive__**.**_*****_**Forget it. I'm just trying to figure out where my mind wandered off to again**_**.* **

*****_**Well, when you find it, could you see if mine is with it?**_***** she teases.

*****_**Yeah, I'll get right on that**_**.*** The bell rings and I sling my backpack onto my shoulder.

"See you in gym," the first time I'd spoken aloud since I joined them. Everyone looks at me and I feel the blaze in my cheeks betray me, so I rush off to my next class before Bella can say another word.

_English. Not my best subject._ Luckily the teacher doesn't make me introduce myself. He just gives me a book and tells me to find an open seat. I see one at the back of the class beside a guy with long black hair. He barely notices as I take my seat. On the other side of him is a plump girl with waist length reddish hair, bright red cheeks, and a serious expression. She doesn't look towards me at all.

As the teacher launches into his lesson, I get poked in my right arm. I turn to see the little dark haired girl that I thought I vaguely recognized at lunch. "Hi! I'm Alice Cullen," her lilting whisper drips with enthusiasm and a touch of amusement.

"Carlie Swan," I whisper back, trying to focus on the teacher's boring lecture. She doesn't bother me again.

When I finally chance another glance around, I see both the ink-haired boy and the redhead looking at me with obvious wonder. I pull my hair down on either side of my face and make the attempt to pay more attention to the teacher's words. Unfortunately, his voice is more boring than the subject, and I feel my eyelids get heavier and heavier. After what seems like an eternity twice over, the bell rings, and I dash out of the room as fast as I can manage gracefully.

By the time I make it to the gym, Bella is sitting with two gym uniforms on one of the bleachers, a look of horror and confusion on her face. I hastily get the teacher to sign my paper and get informed that my sister already has my uniform. I won't have to participate today, but to be ready tomorrow. I nod, eager to find out what is bothering Bella so much. When I get to her, I don't bother to speak aloud I just clasp her free hand in my own, questions already dancing in my thoughts. She responds simply by letting her mind replay an incident from her Biology class. One of the beauties ended up being her lab partner. When she sat down by him, it seemed like he was overwhelmed by revulsion and disgust.

*****_**Why?**_***** She shrugs, she has no answers to my questions. I am suddenly furious. *****_**What gives him the right? You didn't do anything**_**!*** another shrug and the feelings of confusion and self-loathing cloud my mind. I want to hurt this guy...badly. Bella can be a space cadet, but she's never done anything in her life to warrant such a response from anyone.

*****_**His name is Edward. Edward Cullen. And don't start anything Nessie.**_*****

It occurs to me that he had been the one she kept watching in the lunch room. *****_**Maybe he noticed and was offended by it?**_*** **

*****_**I have no clue**_**.* **

*****_**Want me to kick his ass**_**?* **

Her head snaps up as she looks to me, *****_**No Nessie! No fighting! I'll just ask him what his problem is tomorrow. No big deal**_**.***

I can feel the hurt beneath those words, but I nod and play along, like a good girl.

_Maybe I could catch up with him after school and pummel him until I get an answer about why he was such a jerk to my sister. _Bella slaps my arm for that thought, but doesn't answer it.

We sit quietly during gym, our hands clasped together. We 'tell' each other about our first day. Bella laughs when she sees how I tripped over my own feet on my way to lunch and is shocked to see the girl named Alice introduce herself.

She replays a conversation she had with a girl named Jessica before I'd made it to lunch. The Cullens and the Hales. Emmett and Rosalie are a couple. Rosalie's twin brother, Jasper, and the little pixie Alice are also a couple. Only the one named Edward was unattached. And it seems that he likes it better that way. They had all been adopted by Dr. Carlisle Cullen and his wife. Rosalie and Jasper appear to be Mrs. Cullen's niece and nephew, but they had been adopted when they were only eight. They kept their parents surname though, hence the name Hale. Edward and Alice, evidently, are also blood siblings. Bella's confusion was mixed with fascination when her thoughts veer towards Edward again.

With school over, we make our way back to the main office to turn our papers in. Bella goes in while I wait out in the hall. I hear an amazing voice as the door opens. It's **HIM-** Edward. I feel myself tense up as he glares in our direction. He looks upset. Then he sees Bella. Now fear mixes with anger. He apologizes to Mrs. Cope and moves towards the door, giving Bella a wide berth. He walks past me.

"Hey Cullen," I keep my voice low and steady. He stops and slowly turns to look at me.

As soon as our eyes meet, his eyes grow to the size of silver dollars and a gasp escapes his lips, "Two of them?" It comes out of his mouth a strangled moan.

"You might want to think twice about being such a jerk to my sister otherwise I'm going to have to break that pretty face of yours," I whisper to him while he stares. He doesn't answer. He just whips back around and starts running down the hall towards student parking.

Bella comes out with an exasperated look on her face.

"What?" I ask as I follow her to the truck.

She shakes her head and tosses me the keys. "We have to go grocery shopping, remember?"

"Wow! Isabella Swan, are you actually letting me drive?"

She opens the passenger door and gets in. "Shut up Nessie. I have to make a grocery list so yes, you get to drive." I climb in the driver's side while pondering how fast this tin can really can go.

Shopping is nice. Reminds me of home when Bella and I would go shopping for the family after school. We would drop Mom off at whatever class she was taking this week, and it would be just us. I was kind of bored, but it was funny to watch as my sister barreled through the store. She was an unstoppable force. Until a guy spoke to her, that is. Just like now.

He's cute, in a way that reminds me of the guys from Mythbusters. Geeky enough to not be trendy, but smart enough to have exhilarating conversations with after a romp. _My kind of guy._ As soon as my brain thinks that, Jacob's face punches through and clouds my head again. Wisps of last night's dream hover on the edges, tantalizing me with the smells and sounds of the dazzling man/wolf I had dreamt of. Bella's face is screwed into an annoyed grimace so I grab the cart and push it forward, luckily she doesn't let go and simply follows, grumbling under her breath about puppies and newspapers. We finally get the shopping done and head home.

After packing every nook and cranny we could find with food, we start on dinner. Keeping it safe and comforting, Bella suggests steak, baked potatoes, and salads.

_Sounds good to me._ She makes the steak marinade while I prepare the potatoes and start the salad. Somewhere along the way, Bella turns on the radio and we find ourselves moving to the music as we make dinner. Except for the occasional stumble, Bella manages to avoid any serious injury as we do this. I tell her she deserves a gold star for not breaking anything, including herself, while dancing. That one gets a spoon lobbed at me, but I focus and stop it in midair before launching it back to her.

She's not so lucky. The spoon smacks her upside the head sharply before clattering to the floor. "I owe you for that" she growls and prepares a counterstrike.

Luck is with me though, and we hear Charlie's cruiser pulling into the garage before she can retaliate. I just give her a smug smile and pour the dressing on the salad before mixing it all up.

"Smells good girls," Charlie banters as he hangs up his gun belt and jacket.

Bella points to his dirty boots, he removes them. "Thanks bunches, now go get cleaned up, dinner's almost done."

He answers with an easy snicker and heads to his room to change out of his uniform. We quickly get dinner doled out and dig in. Neither of us had eaten lunch and our stomachs are making that fact well known.

Dinner stays a lighthearted event. It's shallow and innocent, but at least there are no tears. When asked about school, Bella tells Charlie of the lunchtime crowd we sat with, omitting both the Cullens and my lack of input during the lunch talks. He is placated easily and after helping clear the table, he wanders into the living room, another game, basketball this time. My sister and I make quick work of the dishes and head upstairs to do our homework. I can feel a tradition in the works and that thought alone makes me smile.

_Maybe things won't be so bad here after all._

(Bella's POV)

In my room, I keep trying to focus on finishing my homework, but the events with Edward Cullen keep stealing my attention. His pitch black eyes filled with instant revulsion and a dislike bordering on hatred.

_What had I done?_ Other than a few quick glances in the lunchroom there was nothing that could have been classified as offensive or hostile. The way his sculpted jaw line hardened as he grit his teeth together, how he had gripped the lab table with such force that his muscles stood out. He'd certainly terrified me enough that I was unable to get the words out that had been pummeling into my brain. The way his eyes had caught mine for a fraction of a second, I couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

I knew I didn't smell bad, Carlie would have said something, but I couldn't help but take a light sniff at my hair. No, it still smelled like my favorite shampoo. Maybe he didn't like strawberries. He had moved his stool as far away from me as possible, but continued to glare at me the whole time. I had felt his eyes as they bored into me, but I was too big of a coward to look back. A hundred angry insults made their way across my mind during that long hour, but they died on my tongue. I couldn't do it.

Carlie wouldn't have had an ounce of difficulty had she been in my place. _Maybe that's what I should do._ People often mistake Carlie and me for the same person. I could just let her come to class tomorrow and tell him exactly what she thought of the situation and his bad manners. I'd be willing to take the detentions for her.

I finish my homework and do a load of laundry before bed. I keep replaying what I had seen of the Cullens, particularly Edward, over and over in my mind. There was something about them that pulled me in. Unnaturally beautiful, more graceful than a dancer, even the big one, Emmett, who had never stopped smiling the entire lunch period. There was a menacing edge in his smile though. Everything about their demeanor screamed DANGER, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it. The blond girl, Rosalie, could put any runway model to shame. I thought I was plain before, just thinking of that girl makes me feel like a piece of roadkill set alongside the Mona Lisa.

Their stunning looks had won them no friends or favors here. They were still outsiders, having only moved to Forks from Alaska two short years ago. In a small town like Forks, people's families have known each other for the better part of three and four generations. One would have to live here a lot longer than a couple of years to feel true part of the community.

_Maybe that's why Edward had been so downright hostile towards me._ Had he misinterpreted my fleeting glances as suspicion on my part? Carlie had said that the Cullen girl, Alice, had treated her normally. _Might he alone have the problem?_ Jessica had mentioned that he never dated, never socialized because no one here seemed to be up to his standards. I was beginning to take her slightly venomous answers a tad more seriously as I pondered the enigma that was Edward Cullen.

I carry my basket full of clothes upstairs while contemplating what I would say to Edward tomorrow in Biology. I tried thinking like Carlie; she never has issues with putting people in their place when they tick her off, but nothing I could conjure seems appropriate. I know that even if I did manage to think up something that gave him even an idea of what he did to me in that hour, I would never be able to utter them aloud. I was too scared of what his reaction would be. With a sigh, I admit to myself that I made the Cowardly Lion look like the Terminator.

I wake the next morning with a feeling that crosses between eminent doom and going down a steep hill on a roller coaster coursing through my veins. I can hear Carlie's bouncy chatter intermingling with Charlie's slow drawl floating upstairs as I dress. Jeans, thermal shirt, Muse t-shirt over that. Quick jaunt to the bathroom to brush my unruly mane, cage it within the confines of a scrunchy, and brush my teeth. The weird high carries me downstairs to breakfast.

Carlie seems to have recovered some of her sense of self this morning. She's wearing tight fitting black cargo pants with little buckles and straps all over them (she calls them suicide pants), an orange tee that has PSYCH WARD boldly printed on the front. She has on a pair of black boots that remind me of army boots. A touch of glitter sparkles on her cheeks and she has put her body jewelry back on. Eight silver stars travel up each ear, a tiny crescent moon adorns her left nostril, and a small spike protrudes from just beneath her lower lip. I grimace at the thought of the kinds of attention this is going to draw.

I can see that our uncle is looking at her a bit wild eyed himself as she slides some scrambled eggs onto his plate. I forgot that he isn't used to seeing Carlie like this. He turns to face me and his face visibly relaxes. My outfit scares him much less. Right now, my sister looks like a poster child for Gothic Beauty magazine , and tomorrow she could look like a burgeoning model. My fickle twin may be many things, but being predictable is not one of them.

I, of course, have to trip over myself on my way to my seat, this time spilling on to the floor because I was out of everyone's reach.

"Oh crap," Carlie mutters, rushing to my aid, "it's going to be one of those days." She helps me to my feet and keeps my hand until I am safely seated beside Charlie. I can feel she is positively vibrating with energy this morning. She's had another dream about Jacob. She tries to hide it from me, but I can catch a few glimpses before she pulls her hand away.

"I'm going to have to pick up another first aid kit," Charlie mumbles between bites. He avoids my glare by asking Carlie for a coffee refill. He doesn't say a word as she fills her own cup next, then one for me.

"Don't burn yourself, Bells," she taunts as I take the mug from her.

"Aren't you eating?" I inquire as she leans against the counter, enjoying the warmth of the dark brew.

"I already ate Bells. I had to get up early and get a shower, but Charlie was already in there. I came down and made a pot of coffee and started breakfast while I waited. When he finished, I grabbed a shower then ate. What he's eating is round three," her left eyebrow arches up as she leers at our uncle, who is studiously polishing off the last of his eggs.

We make quick work of the morning dishes as soon as Charlie is out the door. Carlie goes out to start the truck and lets it warm up while I gather my things.

_She's probably grabbing a smoke while she waits._ I'm fighting with my boots at the foot of the stairwell when I remember that I'll have to see Edward again today in Biology and sink down onto the bottom step.

_What am I going to do? Sic my little sister on him? Yeah, that would work._ I don't think Charlie would be very happy with one of us being suspended our second day of school, even if it was for beating up a very rude boy. _Well, maybe he wouldn't mind too much._ A smile threatens the corners of my mouth. _Stop it!_ I reign in my thoughts. I'm not normally a person who approves of violence, but something about this boy just gets under my skin.

"We're going to be late, Bells, did you fall and kill yourself this time?" Carlie's voice brings me back to reality. I tie my boot, grab my bag, and bumble my way out the front door. I remember to flip the deadbolt on my way out, one of Charlie's few rules.

School today is better and worse. Better because I receive noticeably less stares than my more flamboyant sibling, better because I have at least a clue of where my classes are. Worse because Edward Cullen isn't in school at all. Part of me wonders how that could be worse, he isn't here to give me death glares, but I can't help but feel cheated. I knew I wouldn't be able to tell him off like I had hoped, but the infuriating, beautiful boy had taken the option away from me completely. I had waited on pins and needles during lunch, stealing glances at the table where his siblings lounged, but he never showed. Dread and relief warred in my stomach the entire afternoon but relief eventually won as I stepped into Biology class. Edward Cullen's seat was empty. It stayed that way too, even as the last bell rang for class to begin. I caught myself staring at the empty seat during that hour, half-hoping he would appear, but he never did.

Carlie is waiting for me outside of the gym. Her hand finds mine as we walk to the locker room. *****_**Why so glum Bells?**_***** her silent question is soft and non judgmental.

I give a shrug. Shrugging is good. Non committal. *****_**It's nothing Nessie, just feeling like a tumbleweed in a windstorm today**_**.***

She squeezes my hand. *****_**Maybe I'll go ahead and bust his chops for you when I see him again. Will that help?**_*****

An ornery grin has taken over her visage and I can't help but laugh. *****_**No, I don't think that would help anyone Nessie. What would Charlie think of you picking a fight with a boy your first week here?**_*** **

*****_**That I was getting back to normal,**_***** she chuckles, then falls silent. Her mind glosses over our parents briefly before returning to images of punching Edward Cullen in the mouth after school. I'm left with that thought fluttering through my brain as we separate and dress for gym.

I manage to spike a volleyball into one of my teammate's faces before they remember to stand in front of me. My head is swarming with thoughts of Edward Cullen and I can't understand why.

I don't even like him!

_But he is fascinating_, a whisper of my own mind answers.

_He hates me! _I answer myself, feeling like a complete fool.

_Maybe he's just scared of you_, the little voice answers before drifting away.

_Could that be it?_ My mind reels at the possibility.

Then a volleyball decides to say hello to my face at a high velocity. I stumble back, looking for the perpetrator. Carlie is across the court parallel to me, an evil grin stretched across her pale face.

_That's it!_ I grab one of the extra balls and launch it at her with all of my might, willing it forward. Surprisingly, it smacks her hard in the right shoulder, twisting her sideways. Her chocolate orbs filling with the same shock that I feel as she falls to the floor. She lands with a thud and immediately rolls on her side shaking. I rush over to her, believing the worst. I lean down just in time to realize why she is shaking.

She's laughing so hard no sound is escaping her lips. Tears of mirth are overflowing and running down her face. "Good," gasp, "shot", gasp, "Bells!" she manages between fits of laughter.

Concern dissolves into amused disgust as I straighten up and make my way to the changing rooms. My attempt at a graceful exit is foiled by a rogue basketball catching my left foot, spilling me onto the wooden floor.

I hear another thump behind me and turn to see that my infuriatingly annoying twin has once again collapsed into a pile of giggles. "Make sure you check yourself for any gaping basketball wounds, Bells!" my sister calls out to me as I pull myself back to my feet and continue my journey.

"Go play in traffic blindfolded, Nessie." More laughter follows me. _Stupid, annoying baby sister!_

I'm dressed and waiting by the truck when Carlie finally catches up, seemingly recovered from her momentary bout of insane giggling. "Sorry sis, I didn't mean to make you mad," her face is repentant as she speaks. She doesn't even ask to drive she just hauls herself into the passenger seat and waits patiently for me to get in. I climb into my (yes _my_, I love this thing) truck and fire it up. The sound of the engine calms me as we ride home in silence.

Carlie doesn't seem to want to risk my ire reappearing and leaves me to my thoughts once we get home. She goes to the kitchen to make dinner and I move throughout the house, tidying where it's needed. Carlie puts a CD on and turns it up loudly, singing the words in her own, lyrical voice. I remember this band, Rasputina.

Soon a tart aroma fills my nose. I guess we're having fried fish tonight. I have just finished running the vacuum when I hear Charlie's footsteps in the entryway. His work belt jingles as he hangs it up beside his coat. He used to remove the bullets from his gun as soon as he came home when we would visit as little kids. He must think we're too old to kill ourselves accidentally now and not down enough to off ourselves on purpose.

I hear my sister's voice "Transylvanian concubine, you know what flows there like wine," she cuts off as Charlie makes his way into the kitchen. Music's volume is decidedly decreased as I follow my uncle.

"That was great girls," Charlie finally pushes away from the table after a third helping.

I wave a hand towards my sister, "Thank her, I just cleaned the house while she worked on the food."

He pats her on the head, "My compliments to the chef then Nessie." She blushes and looks down at the table. I get to my feet and start to clear the table.

"No, I'll get it tonight girls," Charlie interjects,"You're spoiling me more than I deserve."

"Okay, but I'll do my homework in here then. Keep you company," I answer. Besides, I was hoping he could answer a few questions about the Cullen's. He nods and smiles as he gets to his feet.

Carlie also rises, "I'm going to get my homework done and then maybe I'll steal the truck for a bit and go get me and Bells some job applications." She looks to Charlie, "If that's okay, I mean."

"Sure, sounds fine to me, Hun," he replies.

Our parents untimely demise has left my sister and I with a considerable amount of monetary funds, but she was as loathe to touch it as I was. It was our emergency fund/college fund. Each of our parents had taken out a one million dollar life insurance policy when Carlie and I were born. They had never wanted use to be without. No, we hadn't had every little whim filled, but we always had what we had needed to get by. I knew Carlie was going to do exactly what she said, but I also figure that this is going to be her chance to wander Forks unsupervised.

"Maybe you should look at some of those cars at the used car lot," I suggested while heaving out my school work. She nods, the intent to do just that evident in her eyes. She doesn't like my truck very much, it's too loud and uses up too much gas for her taste, and as much as I was looking forward to not having to rush to work directly from school for a while, she was right. We did need jobs, especially if I want to keep driving my beast of a pick up everywhere I went.

_**PLEASE REVIEW, I'M BEGGING YOU! LOVE IT OR HATE IT, GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK!**_


	7. Part 7 HIM

**I own nothing pertaining to Twilight or anything else I may use that could land my ass in jail if I would claim ownership! I want Alice Cullen to be my best friend!**

**Once again, a thank you goes out to the wonder beta whyuh!**

_-I've got a joke for you mongrel._

_-Really? Other than your comical fashion taste and husband's fart jokes? Fire away Blondie._

_-How do you keep a mutt busy for hours?_

_-? How?_

_-Tie a steak to it's tail and watch it run in circles trying to catch it _

_-That wasn't funny Blondie _

_-Only from your point of view mutt_

**Part 7**

**H.I.M.**

**(Carlie's POV)**

As I reach the top of the stairs, I hear Bella ask Charlie about the Cullens. Any other time, I would have stopped to listen, my own burning curiosity begging to be satiated, but tonight I am on a mission. Yes, I plan on grabbing a few job applications and yes, I will probably glance at a few cars being sold, but that is not my ultimate goal tonight.I had found Billy Black's phone number scratched into an old address book earlier in the evening. I had already called the number once to make sure it was in service, hanging up as soon as it rang, so I knew I had an active number to call once I made my getaway.

Tonight I am going to see Jacob. No one knew it yet, but my sister isn't the only one who could be a force of nature once she'd made up her mind_. _I got the idea while making dinner and had spent the last two hours perfecting it.

I made the decision that I would do my homework later, when I got home and I had the perfect reason for wanting to see Jacob. If I was going to be driving around on these errands, I, number one, didn't want to go alone, and number two, didn't want to get lost. I have no intention of telling Charlie or Bella where I am going because for now, it's easier if I am the only one who knows that I intend to make Jacob Black my own.

I brush my teeth twice, untangle my hair, and pull it up with an alligator clip, then hunt my favorite hoodie down. Nothing too dressy, don't want to give off any airs of how desperate I am to see him or rouse any suspicions out of Bella. After I toss my wallet back into my purse, I grab my set of truck keys and bounce down the stairs.

"Bye!" I call over my shoulder as I go.

"Don't be too late Nessie, it's a school night!" my uncle replies.

For once, it's not raining, just a light mist swirling in the breeze as I drive towards La Push. It's easy to follow the street signs and the map of the area I nicked from the house. The ancient truck groans and strains as I push it to go faster. I need something with a lot more speed and a lot fewer restrictions.

I pull over near the reservation boundary to make my phone call. My stomach is doing back-flips as I dial, my fingers tremble so badly that I have to start over four times. I am finally rewarded with a ring.

"Hello?" a gentle yet masculine voice answers. I take a deep breath.

"Jacob?" Please let it be him!

"Yeah, who's this?" he answers, clearly confused.

"It's Carlie Swan, remember me?" I'll die right here, right now if he says no, I swear.

"Of course I do!" comes the excited reply, "What's up?" I can tell he is smiling and it brings back memories of our short time together.

_Was that only a few days ago? Whoa, it feels like an eternity. _"Not much. I was actually calling to ask for your help, if you're not busy tonight?" my voice makes it a question at the end.

"Nothing I can't put off for a while, whatchya need?" confusion returns to his buttery voice.

"Well, I designated myself official job application retriever for Bella and me and I also promised my sister that I would get on finding myself a vehicle so we didn't have to keep sharing the truck, but I have no idea where to start. I don't know the area very well and I'm kind of afraid to be driving around by myself. Think you could give a girl a hand and play tour guide? Hell, I'll even buy you dinner if that helps convince you," I add, trying to make my voice joking.

He's quiet a few seconds and I feel my stomach go from doing acrobatics to twisting itself in a knot.

I'm about ready to tell him _never mind_ when he speaks up, "Sorry about that, I was asking my dad if I could go. He said sure, but I'd have to be home by ten, what time is it now?"

I look at my watch, "6:30 on the dot."

"Great! Where should I meet you?"

"Give me directions to your house, I'm close to the rez anyways. Not sure how I got this close, I was trying to find the way up to Port Angeles. Good thing I ended up here though, it made me think of asking you for help." _There, that should cover me._ He rattles off the directions twice to make sure I have them right.

It takes only a few minutes to reach his house, a faded red rectangle with a large ramshackle shed behind it. As my headlights flash past it, I see he's already outside waiting, a grin plastered across his face that a Cheshire cat would be proud of. As soon as the truck stops he's opening the passenger door and sliding in.

_Oh my god! _My mind had done this gorgeous face an insult in its weak attempts to capture his perfection. I find myself grinning as big as he is. I have to tear my focus away from his face before I say something stupid.

"Hi," I offer instead of one of the millions of thoughts assaulting my brain and my tongue. "Ready to be bored out of your skull the next few hours?"

He laughs and shakes his head, "It won't be as boring as staying home and cleaning house with my dad. Anything is better than that."

Pain tears through my chest. I'm just the lesser of two evils? _Stop it Carlie!_ I yell internally, _You're the one who asked him to do this, remember? Whatever his reasons for coming, at least he's here so quit whining and get your ass in gear! _"Yeah, I can only imagine. I at least have my sister to share the household garbage with."

I throw the truck in Drive and stomp on the gas a little too hard and the tires spray a bit of gravel as it lunges forward. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to driving it," I say in my defense as he looks at me and begins laughing heartily.

The conversation flows like wine as we ride around the area. He points out various spots that tourists usually traffic and others that only the locals find interest in. I park the truck now and then to run into buildings and gather applications. I find myself glancing at him often, drinking in his relaxed demeanor, huge smile, and twinkling eyes. His laughter, I soon realize, is infectious. I have to pull the truck over a few times because I am laughing so hard I can't see the road through tears of mirth.

He tells me about his best friends, a pair of boys named Quil and Embry, and their antics at the school on the reservation and of his never ending quest to find parts for a VW Rabbit he is rebuilding in his garage. He hopes to have it done by the time he turns sixteen next winter. That little fact makes me jump. I had forgotten that he was younger than I; he acts and sounds older than his fifteen years. It doesn't matter that I normally avoid dating younger boys like the plague nor does it matter that he is of humble means while I had also avoided those people before. None of my normal standards apply with Jacob. Every rule I have put in place in my search for an appropriate boyfriend is shattered. Every time our eyes meet, I feel like singing.

_What was happening to me?_ I can't formulate an answer and I discover that I don't care as long as it keeps going.

We finally stop at a burger joint to grab a bite to eat. I had barely touched my dinner at home, my insides were twisted with anticipation at the time, but now I was ravenous. We eat and talk, and my usual nervousness over eating in front of a person I like disappears too.

Soon, we are tossing fries, trying to get them into each others mouths. I miss more often than I hit, mainly because I kept dreaming of what his lips taste like every time I try to take aim. His aim is a little better, except when one of his shots goes horribly awry and I am left with a french fry stuck to the middle of my forehead, its tip dangling between my eyes. I must have looked like such a fool, as I try to cross my eyes and focus on the offending piece of food.

Jake falls out of his seat he's laughing so hard. He had dipped the tip of the fry in ketchup so it would stick better, so I grab a few napkins to wipe it off then throw the wad of paper at him. I did my best to look shocked and hurt as he rolls on the ground. He quickly gets to his feet and gathers me up in a crushing hug while apologizing profusely.

Of course, he is forgiven as soon as he wraps his arms around my frame, but I hold the act together just a little longer to be able to enjoy the feeling of being in his strong embrace. I can feel his hand stroke my hair down the length of my back, to my waist, where it settles. My clip falls out and my hair now swings freely. We just stand there silently, holding each other. All too soon though, I feel his arms release me. My heart is still racing in my chest as he asks me if it was time to go and check out the used car lot before it gets too much later.

I sigh and agree. _I don't want to go looking at stupid cars, I want to be back in you arms!_ I have to remind myself that patience is supposed to be a virtue before I can force myself into the cab of the truck and get back to the task at hand.

He directs me towards the nearest car lot while I light a cigarette. I receive a quizzical look, but he doesn't mention it. When we pull in, the lot manager comes over, greeting us with fake enthusiasm. He is no doubt hoping we will go away so he can close up early and go home.

I give him my price range and desired product for the price and he leads us around the lot. Jacob asks various questions about each vehicle, technical things that I have no clue about. Hell, as long as the thing gets me where I'm going and doesn't make me look like an imbecile, I am willing to drive it. I just have to get away from the red beast my sister is so fond of, but I am glad to have Jake with me. I have the feeling this salesman wouldn't have a problem taking advantage of an unsuspecting buyer.

We wander throughout the lot until I see one I like. It's electric blue. The salesman turns on his charm, hoping to get us out of here quickly whether we buy a car or not.

"It's a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS," he says, "top of the line model fully loaded: V6 3.0, 5 speed MT, leather interior, moon roof, power everything, premium sound, ice cold AC, toasty warm heater, and much, much more. Plenty of power at 210 and great on fuel economy with 30MPG on the highway. The car is in great shape in and out. Engine runs smoothly with only 76K miles on it." He eyes me doubtfully, "I'm asking for ONLY $8600," emphasizing the price, probably to chase me off.

"I'd like to give it a look over, if you don't mind," Jake is already moving around the vehicle.

The man's shoulders slump in defeat. "By all means," he says, waving his hand towards the car.

By the time Jacob is done verbally deconstructing the vehicle, he has wheedled the price down by $3600. I agree to put $500 on it tonight and come back with another $2000 tomorrow when I bring my uncle, _the_ Chief Swan, with me to fill out the paper work ($2500 is almost my entire life savings, but I'm not touching my parents' money if I have another option).

At the mention of Charlie, the salesman becomes very cooperative and eagerly acquiesces to my suggestion. He also offers to make my car payment as low as he could, only $159 a month. He is hoping to score brownie points with the Chief of Police by being extra nice to his niece, I assume. We step inside to start the preliminary paperwork so it wouldn't take forever tomorrow, just sign and go. He gives me a receipt when we're finished and wishes Jake and I a good evening before watching us walk back to the truck.

It's after nine now, so we make our way back to Jake's house. He jokes around with me about being able to get the price down so much and tells me he could use that extra money to fix his Rabbit. I offer to pay for a few parts as a thank you, but he refuses, explaining how important it is that he does the reconstruction on his own. I tell him that I'd let him pay me back then. He laughs and warns me that he'll remember that if he hits a rough patch in his search for parts.

When we get to his place, it's only nine thirty, so he doesn't immediately go inside. Instead we sit in the truck and continue our conversation.

We talk about our families. He tells me of his two older sisters, Rachel and Rebecca. They're also twins. He's quiet and his eyes shine with wetness when he speaks of his mother, Sarah, and how she died in a car accident when he was little. We both understand that kind of pain. I can't help but pull him into a hug as our memories drift towards those we have lost. Though the current still flows to and fro where our bodies connect, there is nothing romantic in this embrace. It's more like two souls who have been thrown overboard on the ocean and are clinging to each other for survival. He rests his chin on my head and I can feel a wetness on my scalp, his silent tears falling onto my head. I feel my own dampening his jacket, but I can't bring myself to move. I need this too badly. Someone who understands what it's like to be lost and floating,unable to find their way back to solid ground without having to endure the painful landing. We sit this way, holding to one another as if our lives depend on it, until the sound of Billy's voice calls from the porch making us jump. He presses his face into my hair and I feel a gentle touch-his lips?-before he sighs and releases his hold on me.

He reaches for the handle to get out and I grab him, "Do you want my number Jake? I'd really like to do this again sometime."

That gleaming smile returns, "Yeah! I'd love to see you again," he looks at me intently,"and soon," he adds.

My heart beginss to race and a blush blazes up my face. "Me too." I write my cell number on an old grocery receipt and shove it into the jacket pocket over his heart. I think I see him blush when we touch, but it's too dark to tell for sure. "Call me soon?"

He nods, "Definitely," and steps out, shutting the door behind him. He walks to the porch and waits for me to turn the truck around and begin my way back down the road before waving and walking into his house.

As I lay in bed that night, I replay each moment of the evening in my head, wanting to burn them into my mind clearly before time has a chance to mar them. Every touch, every laugh I remember sends a flood of warmth through my body. The way his long, thick hair smelled like honey and almonds playing on my senses as I recall how he held me first at the restaurant, then again in the truck. The whisper of how his arms had felt around me burned across my skin, and made my body quake. His breath-taking eyes that had watched me as we talked, a genuine interest in what I had said was evident in them. When he'd looked at me that way, I had the foolish sense that I had been the only thing in his world.

I knew it was stupid to think that, we had only known each other a few days, but I couldn't stop my heart from hoping it were true. I might have to go and see him after I pick my car up tomorrow and take him out for the maiden voyage. I sigh and turn my iPod to a song that has recently begun to mean worlds to me. 'Tempest' from VNV Nation. I focus on the lyrics as it plays.

_These are not words, they're only feelings._  
_There are no sounds that you can hear._  
_There is no form that you can touch._  
_There are no colours for you to see._

_The only sound is a distant thunder._  
_A tempest rages so far away from me._  
_I walked for miles and I started running towards the sound and storm where you might find me._

_And I ran until I had the feeling that the Tempest I had heard surrounded me._  
_Here my heart still so filled with loving cried out and told of wonders that I feel._

_Here my heart is so filled with loving._

_And I tell myself, I keep repeating that your ways are bringing you to me._  
_And I tell myself, I keep repeating that your ways are bringing you to me._

_And I tell myself, I keep repeating that your ways are bringing you to me,_  
_that I will find my true salvation,_  
_that these ways of mine are bringing you to me._

_Because here my heart so filled with loving crying out the wonders that I feel._  
_Here I will find my true salvation and my ways are bringing you to me_

_And I tell myself, I keep repeating that your ways are bringing you to me._

I press the replay button and finally doze off. My last thoughts are filling the conscious part of my mind with fear and exhilaration. _I was falling in love with Jacob Black._

**LOVE IT? HATE IT? EITHER WAY, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!**

**A/N: I keep going back to Carlie's POV because, for the most part, Bella's story is pretty much still intact so far, and I felt the need to develop Carlie a little better, especially to show the similarities and differences between her and Bella's personalities. And I know this part was shorter, but the story was telling me that it was time to move onto the next part and leave Carlie with her thoughts of Jacob in peace for the time being. I guess we'll see how long that lasts! lol**


	8. Part 8 New Car!

**I own nothing at all when it comes to Twilight or SM! *runs away sobbing***

_-Okay, who introduced Emmett to YouTube?  
-Jasper did, why?  
-Because there's a video with the whole family doing a vulgar humping dances during a song that has something to do with doing something orgasmic in their pants.  
-*from somewhere in the house*Oh shit! _

_-Emmett, Jasper! _

_-Jasper! Dude! Run!  
-*sounds of two pairs of feet running away*  
-Is there really a video like that?  
-*chuckling* No, I just wanted to see what would happen -_

_*tinkling laughter*And I thought I was the underhanded Cullen_

**Part 8**

**Did What I Think Happened Just Happen?**

**(Bella's POV)**

I had been asleep by the time Carlie got home last night so I had had no chance to inquire as to how the job application/car hunting expedition had turned out last night. After she'd gone off on her errand, I had asked Charlie about the mysterious Cullens. He had spoken for five whole minutes straight! That was the most I had heard him talk in my entire life. He thought they were good people who were getting a raw deal from the locals. Dr. and Mrs. Cullen's adopted children never caused trouble and kept to themselves. In the few instances Charlie had ever interacted with any of them, they had been unerringly polite and courteous. The Cullens were also avid outdoorsy types. First hint of a sunny day and the entire Cullen Clan disappeared, off exploring the nearby mountains.

_They let their adopted children skip school on those days? Wow. I wish someone would do that for me sometimes._ After his little rant, my uncle retreated to his favorite place in the house, leaving me to do my homework in peace. I had finished it sooner that I'd originally thought so I'd gone upstairs to practice.

Safely in my room, I'd sat cross-legged on the floor in front of a candle. I cupped my hands around the top of the wax pillar and began to stare at the wick, willing it to ignite. This was a hard one for me, though I was never sure why. Carlie had mastered this months ago. She barely glanced at the candle now and it lit, but she liked being dramatic and usually blew on the wick while she pulled the flame into existence. She'd seen it in a movie once and was determined to practice it until she had it down perfectly. That took her all of two weeks. A surge of jealousy had flowed through me and suddenly a flame flared up from the candle, which was great, except for the fact that it shot up over eighteen inches in the air before it fizzled out again. I smacked self in the forehead with the palm of my hand. _Stupid!_

I knew that any sudden burst of strong emotion would mess any thing like this up. Luckily, the candle hadn't exploded at the time. I'd returned to my previous position and begun the exercise again. I had been concentrating so hard I'd felt a slight throbbing in my temples when the wick first smoked, then lit, and a gentle flame erupted.

_Phew!_ I'd looked at the clock, two minutes, that's all it took this time. I'd smiled in spite of myself, _I'm getting better on almost a daily basis now._ I'd waved my hand over the flame, its heat had licked against the tips of my fingers.

_Kiss my albino butt Harry Potter!_ I'd laughed quietly at my own joke. I had read the books numerous times, but, works of beautiful fiction that they were, they had never prepared me for the real thing.

_Could anything have prepared me?_ I'd shaken my head. _No._ There was absolutely nothing on this planet that could have made me ready for this.

I'd blown the flame out and begun again. By the time I was done, I'd been exhausted both physically and mentally but very proud of myself. In my last ten attempts, I had successfully lit the candle in under a minute. I blew the candle out for the last time that night and had put it back in its place on my shelf. I'd then willed my pj's to me, awed that I hadn't hit myself in the face with them, and climbed gratefully into the hot shower.

I'd been careful not to linger too long just in case Charlie, or my errant twin, decided to bathe later in the night. I'd toweled dry my hair before I brushed my teeth. Once my hair had been thoroughly combed, I'd tossed my towel in the hamper and eagerly slid into bed. The rain that had come and gone throughout the evening finally slowed to a gentle drizzle as I quickly drifted to sleep.

In the morning, my sister is a happy ball of energy, bouncing from task to task with unusual enthusiasm. She's dressed in one of her jean skirts with calf high black boots and a deep green turtleneck sweater. My long sleeved OCC shirt and tan cargo pants suddenly seem inferior. Her hair is pinned up haphazardly on top of her head, framing her face with perfect curls.

_Why can't I pull that off? You could put me in the exact same outfit and I would still look like a frumpy shrew. Gah, get over it. At least you have the brains_.

As soon as I take my place at the table, Carlie sets a plate of pancakes in front of me. Charlie's seat is vacant. I look around, but there's no sign of his immediate presence.

"Where's Charlie?" I ask between bites. She shrugs, making those curls bounce and shine in the light.

"He waited for me to get out of the shower this morning to tell me that he had to go into the station early today, some kind of accident down south on the highway." She sits down with her own plate. I eye my sister as she eats, there is something different about her but I can't put my finger on it.

"So, any luck with applications or cars last night?" I inquire.

She nods and smiles," Yeah, I managed to wrangle up about six job applications... and I found the car I want," she finishes with a large smile on her pale face.

"Oh? What is it?" Images of Ferrari's and Mustang's flit through my brain.

"It's a Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS. Really cool car. It's a neat color too. Electric Blue. Got a good deal on it, I'm only paying five grand. Charlie's taking me after school to finish the paperwork and bring it home!" she answers.

This must be the reason for her bubbly mood. The excitement is contagious as she carries on about the vehicle that has caught her eye. She keeps talking the entire way to school, only stopping when we go our separate ways for class.

Class is, well, class.

I feel the tension building in me again as I approach the cafeteria at lunch. _Will he be here today?_

Someone touches my arm and images of a blue car racing down a deserted stretch of road flood my mind. *****_**Why are you just standing there Bells?**_***** Carlie pulls me forward through the doors. Her fingers are stained with charcoal, I notice, as we make our way through the lunch line.

I keep looking towards that table. _None of the Cullens have arrived yet_. I don't have another chance to check until we sit down. There are only four people sitting around the table, tension leaves my body.

_Maybe he's sick; hopefully with guilt for being such a jerk._ I now pay attention to the current conversation, as Carlie brags about her almost newly acquired ride.

I don't see what problem she has with my truck. It has personality, dependability, and is one of those hulks that would have no problem surviving an accident, should there ever be a need._ Oh well, at least we don't have to share a car now. _It will certainly make things easier once both of us are working since I doubt we would be lucky enough to get jobs at the same place.

I feel Carlie's hand brush mine and I see her standing some place outside with Jacob Black's arms around her and a sense of yearning to go with it. Her touch is unintentional and I know that she's just daydreaming.

She has a crush on the fifteen year old Quileute after talking to him for a whole ten minutes a few days ago. I chuckle to myself. That's Carlie for you; constantly crushing on someone. Not her normal rich, older, and brainless type though._ This place is doing strange things to both of us._

The rest of the day is uneventful, aside from Edward again being absent in Biology. My twin is hopping from one foot to the other rapidly beside the truck when I walk out. She didn't even wait for me after gym, instead choosing to dress and bolt out the door, as if it would make time speed up if she did everything full tilt.

We stop at the bank on the way home so she can get money out of her account. When we get home, Charlie hasn't arrived yet and Carlie is on the verge of a tantrum, checking out the window every thirty seconds or so as we prepare dinner and blowing out a huge sigh every time our uncle hasn't magically appeared. When he finally does arrive, she all but carries us to the dinner table and force feeds us to finish more quickly.

She'd already asked Charlie twice if was okay for her to take it out for a test drive after picking it up, maybe up to Port Angeles to pick up a new recipe book and some new drawing supplies. He looks at her like she's gone mad, like he cannot comprehend Forks not having everything she needs right here, but he agrees. He knows how much Carlie's drawing means to her and won't deny her the supplies to feed a hobby she has been passionate about since she was a toddler.

I offer to clean up after dinner simply because my sibling's chaotic energy is beginning to wear on my nerves. She kisses my cheek and bounds out the door, followed by an awed Charlie. He wasn't fully aware of the capacity of her energy and the effect it has on people around her.

**(Carlie's POV)**

Everything has gone so smoothly once we make it to the car lot. The salesman is very attentive as Charlie helps me finalize the paperwork and when it comes time to take the keys, he grudgingly redirects the man in my direction. I had called the insurance company first thing this morning and added my new car, giving the appropriate information to pay the added insurance fee. I was able to print out my insurance card before I had left for school. It is now sitting safely in the glove compartment. I made sure to bring a few homemade cd's with me and one of them is blaring the perfect song for driving-Ready, Steady, Go by Paul Oakenfold-as I speed my way towards La Push.

I call Jacob as soon as I am on the road and secure our meeting. He is as excited as I am when I ask him to go with me to Port Angeles in my new car. He offers to pay for dinner this time, as long as it's under twenty dollars. I tell him to keep his money for the VW renovation fund, but he insists until I relent and offer to go dutch instead. He concedes to it with a laugh.

I love my new car. It's fast as hell and hugs the curves of the road almost like a lover. The soft purr of the engine reflects my own pleasure of being able to see Jake again. That's why I even dressed like I did today. I knew I was going to ask Jake to go out, but didn't want to go to school in my usual clothes and then come home and change into something nicer just to go pick up my car and go shopping. So, I endured a whole day in my skirt and boots, just to stay under the radar.

Finally, I pull into Jake's gravel driveway and come to a stop. He darts out the front door before I even get a chance to put the emergency brake up. He is all smiles when he gets in, rain glistening on his hair like diamonds. My breath catches in my throat as I drink in his essence. I must have been looking at him oddly because he blushes when our eyes meet.

"Hey Carlie," his voice husky.

I love hearing my name roll off of his tongue like that! _Makes me want to kiss those lips and see if they taste as good as they look_. His hair is down tonight. _Marvelous!_

"Hiya Jake." I turn the car around and start driving back down the lane, "How late are you allowed out tonight? We are going to Port Angeles after all." _Like we won't make excellent time with this thing! _

"Dad wasn't home, he's down at Harry Clearwater's until later. I left him a note telling him I was going out with a friend and I'd be back by ten, just like last night. What's this?" He picks my CD book off of the floor and begins sifting through it.

"Just some of my CD's that I've burned. I can't drive anywhere without my music close by," I mutter a bit sheepishly as I make the turn back onto the main road, this time heading north.

"Sure, sure." He glances at me and I can see his eyes linger on my exposed thigh for a second before his blush makes a reappearance and he returns to rifling through my book. I don't worry about speed too much. I've never gotten any kind of moving violation; some kind of internal radar always keeps me from getting caught.

Jake eventually finds a CD to his liking and asks to play it. It's one of my harder collections, but I don't mind so I simply nod. We ride without talking for a while, the music the only sound. It's not an uncomfortable silence, there's no need to fill it up with nonsense. I shift into fifth gear and leave my hand on the shift, tapping my fingers on the stick to the beat of the song. I feel his warm fingers gently caress the back of my hand. I smile at him, encouraging him to continue. He begins tracing small shapes on the top of my hand with feather light fingertips.

_This is what bliss felt like._

He continues to play with my hand the entire ride to Port Angeles. We joke around and chat about our days. He compliments my outfit in a husky whisper after I gush over how beautiful I think his dark, silken hair is. It's so easy to be myself with him.

Even after we reach the northern part of town and we're walking around peering into different shops, his hand keeps finding mine. A slight touch, a soft caress. He never tries to capture it or keep a hold of it. Those fleeting gestures seem to be enough for now.

He makes me promise to show him some of my artwork after seeing me buy another set of charcoal pencils and another sketch pad. Not many people ever see my personal drawings, but I can't refuse those puppy dog eyes he aims at me me until I cave in defeat. I'm rewarded with another brilliant smile that makes me forget why I have been nervous to show him in the first place. We meander in and out of businesses just to pass the time, but finally we find ourselves in a secluded part of the small town park. The wind wasn't so bad here so we seek out a bench to sit on.

As soon as we are seated, I can tell that something in the air has changed. A static charge now hovers in a cloud around us, making me shiver slightly. We're facing one another, which adds to the trepidation that begins to fill me.

_Could this be it?_ I ask myself, _Will he do it?_ I'm not even sure I know exactly what he's supposed to do; my mind is so addled in the moment.

Jake takes my right hand with both of his and raises it to his lips, pressing them gently against my skin. "Carlie," he begins, those dark eyes locked to mine. His voice once again low and husky as he continues, "I know we have only known each other a few days, but...oh, it's going to sound so stupid!" His head drops to gaze at my hand, still held between his own," I don't know how to say this without you getting up and running away screaming for the men in the white coats to come and get me!" A smile touches his lips as his gaze turns back to my face.

"Jacob, just tell me what's on your mind already!" I urge him and give his hands a squeeze.

He pulls one of his brown hands loose and runs it through his hair, "Okay, here's the deal, Nessie," he uses my nickname with a full smile now, "I'm crazy about you. I know we just met and all, but I was hoping," he pauses to search my face for any signs of rejection. When he is satisfied there are none, "I was hoping that maybe you'd like to be my girl?"

**UNTIL NEXT TIME READERS! THANKS FOR READING AND REMEMBER, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! GIVE ME SOME INCENTIVE TO CONTINUE MY STORY!**


	9. Part 9 Changes

**Stephenie Meyer still owns everything Twilight, the greedy wench ;-)**

_**The Cure- Lovesong (not owning)**_

_whenever i'm alone with you you make me feel like i am home again whenever i'm alone with you you make me feel like i am whole again_

_whenever i'm alone with you you make me feel like i am young again whenever i'm alone with you you make me feel like i am fun again_

_however far away i will always love you however long i stay i will always love you whatever words i say i will always love you i will always love you_

_whenever i'm alone with you you make me feel like i am free again whenever i'm alone with you you make me feel like i am clean again_

_however far away i will always love you however long i stay i will always love you whatever words i say i will always love you i will always love you_

**Part 9**

**Changes**

**(Carlie's POV)**

"Okay, here's the deal Nessie," he uses my nickname with a full smile now, "I'm crazy about you. I know we just met and all, but I was hoping," he pauses to search my face for any signs of rejection. When he is satisfied there are none, "I was hoping that maybe you'd like to be my girl?"

My mind reels as his words sink in. I see the sincerity of his words screaming from his eyes. I can't find my voice. He begins to look worried, so I simply nod and smile. My heart feels like it's going to burst out of my chest when he scoops me up into his lap to hold me tight to him. I raise my head to take in the visage of triumph etched onto his face, his eyes gleaming with emotion.

"You've just made me the happiest guy alive, Miss Carlie Swan," he says and leans down, his lips touching my forehead first, and then bends lower to find my lips. Upon finding them, the current between us intensifies a thousand-fold and I can't stop from wrapping my arms around his neck and deepening the kiss. A quiet moan rattles in my throat as our lips move together and is answered by one from him.

He doesn't kiss like any fifteen year old I've ever known. This is a kiss shared by soul mates, not the lust driven mutilations of infatuated teenagers. Our lips don't battle for supremacy, instead they move together in a graceful ballet, matching each others' movements perfectly. This is the kiss of two souls that are bound together, seemingly since the beginning of time, and are finally being reunited after a long separation. I lose myself in this kiss, everything around us falling away like leaves on an autumn wind. I feel one of his hands caress my face and cup it gently, his other arm pulling me impossibly close to him.

It doesn't end until we both are forced to come up for air. My head spins from lack of oxygen, but he doesn't let me fall. We sit without speaking, our uneven breathing the only sound disturbing the darkness that has fallen. The smiles that are on our faces look permanently fixed there as we watch each other.

"I've never been kissed like that before," I whisper once my breathing is almost normal again.

He chuckles as his lips brush my temple, "Not bad for my first try then, I guess."

I let my head rest against his. "If that was your first kiss, I can't wait to see what it will be with a bit of practice." We both laugh at that. He holds me as we sit and talk, occasionally his lips touching my cheek, my earlobe, my jaw line, each time sending a pulse of pleasure through my body. I eventually take my phone out to check the time and Jake suggests that I take a picture of us with it while we have the time to do so. We spend the next half hour taking various pictures together and of each other, wanting to capture the perfect evening as well as we can.

Long before I am ready, it's time to head home, back to reality. He holds my hand the whole way back to his place, lifting our entwined limbs to his lips every now and then to kiss the back of my hand. He asks about the still healing pink scars on my wrists that are normally covered with bracelets or shirt sleeves, and I tell him of a very dark hour the night my parents died. How Bella had blamed me, and how my grief mixed a pint of whiskey pushed me to make an attempt to join my parents.

He brushes his soft lips back and forth over the jagged lines a few times before pressing his lips to them firmly. He begs me to never try and take myself from him, ever. After a few minutes of his pleading, I promise him. His dark orbs are soft and loving as he continuously gazes at me while I navigate the dark road.

We already know that we cannot speak a word of this to anyone, not yet. Too many assumptions could be made about our ages, among other nasty things. He is still considered jail bait until he turns sixteen and neither of us wants me to end up in jail if someone-mainly the tribal elders- would suddenly take offense at our relationship. It will be difficult to hide this, but we have to try.

We make plans to see one another again before the weekend is over. He warns me of Charlie's frequent fishing expeditions, so we hope that this weekend will inspire my uncle to go on one.

I get him home with five minutes to spare after managing to compress an hour long drive into a forty five minute one by going an insane speed the whole way home. The porch light is on, Billy must be home, and I'm glad it's too dark for Billy to be able to see who is dropping Jacob off.

Once parked in front of his home, he kisses me passionately one last time, making my blood boil, and slips from the car without a word, just a brush of the back of his hand up my cheek. I wait for him to reach the porch before putting the car in gear. He waves as my headlights cross his path and walks in the house. I'm on cloud nine as I drive the winding road home.

The porch light is on here as well. I pull in behind Bella's truck, but there is no movement from in the house. I gather the spoils of my shopping trip and walk into the house. They are waiting for me in the living room, Charlie watching tv and Bella curled up in the recliner with a book, _Wuthering Heights_, again. I set down both armfuls of bags at the foot of the stairs before acknowledging them.

"So, find everything you were looking for Nessie?" my uncle asks, eyeing the bags.

I shrug, "Some, but I had to do a lot of searching to get this much. I think I'm going to have to make a trip to Seattle or Tacoma to find the rest." I reach into one of the bags and toss a box to Charlie.

"Here. Something I thought you might enjoy." Jake helped me pick it out as a way of pacifying Charlie for my absence and to promote the idea of a fishing trip this weekend. A deluxe assortment of new fishing lures. He opens it and immediately his gears start turning. I'm going to have to thank Jake properly for thinking of it.

I delve into the bag again and pull out my sibling's present. It's a book about local legends. It even has illustrations done by local artists. Her eyes sparkle as I hand it to her, any thoughts of interrogating me forgotten as soon as her hands touch the book.

"What else did you buy?" Charlie asks, only paying half attention.

"Um, two outfits, a couple sets of underthings, two sketch pads, two packs of charcoal pencils, a cd, and other things I found at a bath and body shop. Shampoo and some girlie stuff. Want to see?" I offer.

He shakes his head, "That's okay, just curious. Shouldn't you two be off to bed?" He wants to spend a little quality time with his new toys before heading to bed himself. Bella and I nod and move to go upstairs.

She helps me carry the bags up, still too preoccupied with her new book to ask any questions. Bella drops the bags on my bed and heads to her room with a barely audible "Good night." I know I won't be bothered again tonight.

I kick off my boots and put away my newly acquired items, while relishing in the memories dancing in my head. After I'm done, I grab a quick shower and settle in to do homework. I don't finish until after one, but the loss of sleep is nothing compared to what I gained tonight.

Instead of going to bed and passing out, I download all of the pictures Jake and I took onto my laptop and hide them in a locked file inside of a folder I had for saving screen captures and a bounty hunting bot for a game I occasionally play on-line. The same folder I hide pictures of my parents in. I look at each picture a half dozen times before closing the folder and powering down the computer.

_Maybe I'll get some picture paper next time I'm at the store and print out a few of the best pics and give them to Jake when I see him again?_ Sounds fair_. Who am I to be the only one with physical tokens of our wonderful evening spent together?_

I put my cell on the charger, set my alarm, and finally fall into bed at 2:15 am. _Tomorrow, well later today, is going to be rough, but totally worth it._ A smile is still playing at the corners of my mouth as I drift into the world of dreams, and Jacob's warm embrace. My last conscious thought is wishing Mom and Dad could have been here to meet him.

I'm awakened by my phone vibrating on the night stand. I don't even bother opening my eyes while searching for it. On the third ring, my hand finds the rectangular hunk of shaking plastic. I don't look to see who it is before I push the button and hold the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" my voice is a groggy whisper. The voice that answers shocks me awake.

"I just thought I'd call and say 'Good Morning, Beautiful' before you left for school, so 'Good Morning, Beautiful'! Oh, and have a good day at school! Miss you!" his voice is playful, even at this early hour.

I can't be mad, I'm too happy to hear his voice again, "Morning, handsome." My voice is clearer now, "You have a good day too. Miss you too. See you soon."

A sigh in my ear, "That's all I can hope for, darling, I-" his voice trails off.

"Me too," I respond.

"Brilliant!" he answers, imitating Doctor Who, before hanging up. I press END and look at the clock. 6:13 am.

_He's good. He called exactly two minutes before my alarm was set to go off._ It was definitely better waking up to his voice rather than the annoying buzzer of the alarm. I shut it off and throw the blankets back. I sit up and run my hands through my hair. I could definitely get used to being Jacob Black's "girl".

I dress more like my twin today. Long sleeve tee and jeans, my long hair in a simple braid, nothing fancy. I even forgo putting on my bracelets that I use to hide my scars. As happy as I was to hear his voice, it doesn't erase the hints of exhaustion picking at my consciousness. I walk down to the kitchen and grab a coffee mug. I have no desire to eat this morning as my stomach is still under attack from butterflies.

_Less than twenty four hours after asking me to be his girlfriend, Jake almost said those three little words, and to muddy things up even further, I nearly said them back! _

I begin questioning how long we would be able to keep this quiet while I sipped my coffee. It burns my mouth and I spit it into the sink. I glance out of the window, Charlie's cruiser is already absent. I shuffle outside for a smoke while waiting for the bitter brew to cool down enough to drink instead of cheating and using my gift to lower the temperature.

I can hear my sister getting ready to come down the stairs as I step out. In serious need of a distraction now, I pull out my phone and begin snapping pictures of my Eclipse so I can show them to our new acquaintances at school later. She doesn't come out to check on me and once I finish with my cigarette, I carefully put it out, dispose of the evidence, and move back into the warmth of the house.

Bella and I chat over the different stores I had encountered on my trip to Port Angeles. I give her the best information that I can remember, even making sure to point out a few places that I was sure would catch her interest. She's fishing for information, knowing I am hiding something. I throw her a bone and tell her I ended up running into a boy up in Port Angeles and we had spent a few hours talking. She asks how old he is, fearing a relapse into chasing college boys again. I assure her he was at most our age, maybe even younger.

I force all thoughts of Jacob out of my mind and replace them with scenes of a vampire versus werewolf movie I watched recently, just in case she decides to touch me and cheat. Bella doesn't disappoint. She pulls me against her in a hug while showing me how worried she is about my well-being. Her thoughts drift to our parents' funeral as she tells me that we've got to stick together because all we have is each other now.

For a second, I'm furious that she would use such an underhanded tactic to get information out of me but it fades just as quickly as I feel the genuine concern she has for me bleed through. I assure her that I'm not out doing anything as stupid as running with college kids again. I explain that this boy I met isn't like anyone else I've ever been interested in before. He was honest and true, and he liked me too. I just wasn't ready to divulge more until I had a better idea of what direction it was going to take.

**_*Please be patient with me Bells. I know I haven't been the best judge of character, but I swear this is different. I actually like the guy. It's not about parties and doing stupid things, I promise. I will tell you more when it's right, I'm just not ready to let the world in on this yet_.* **

She is surprised, I have never kept a single fascination from her before, not even that one time I had developed an odd crush on another girl when we were fourteen.

_***You sure sis?**_***** her eyes reflecting her worry, *****_**I mean, you've never been like this**_**.***

I nod my head. *****_**I'm positive. This is so much better than anything I've ever felt, but the less you know, the less you have to try and hide from everyone else.* **_

Her eyebrow arches up_, __***By everyone, you mean Charlie, don't you?***_

I shrug_**.*Among others**_**.*** I touch my forehead to hers with a sigh_**,*I swear on my life, no, I swear on Mom and Dad that this is different. He is different. We just need a little time to get to know each other before we let the world in on our little secret. Please trust me, Isabella**_**.* **I can see her sifting through my words carefully before formulating an answer.

This could be a very good or very bad thing, depending on what my older twin decides. I do my best to hold my nerves at bay as I wait for a response, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. After what seems like forever, I feel her exhale in a loud gust.

*****_**Fine**_**,*** she concedes, *****_**but you have to tell me their name at least so I know where to start looking if you suddenly play the missing person game,**_***** her eyes find mine as she waits.

***Shit**_**. Are you sure this is the only way you'll go along with this?**_***** I ask. She bobs her head once. My shoulders slump in defeat. _Who was I to believe that I could have kept it from her for long in the first place? _

*****_**It's Jacob Black, isn't it?**_***** her thoughts become slightly amused as images of last night betray me before I can conjure the words to answer.

*****_**How did you guess**_**?*** I inquire.

She chuckles lightly, ***Y**_**ou have had visions of Jacob Black dancing through your skull ever since he and his father brought the truck up the other day.**_*****

*****_**Oh**_**.*** I can't argue or deny it. I just feel like a jerk. I've been trying so hard not to think of him around her that, in the end, it was exactly what she had been picking up on. I grab her hands, *****_**Please don't say anything Bells! He's only fifteen and I'm seventeen and we could get into serious trouble if someone got mad enough to press charges!**_*****

She looks at me questioningly, *****_**Charges? What kind of charges?**_*** **

***_Well, um, if people think him and I are, um, being intimate it could be considered statutory rape until he is sixteen_.* **

Her eyes look like they're going to pop out of her head, *****_**Are you being intimate with him Nessie? Isn't it a bit early for that kind of commitment**_**?* **

I shake my head, *****_**No, it's not like that. Not yet at least. I don't know when, or if, it will be even, but there's no way to prove or disprove that he and I aren't like that though, and that's where the problem would be.**_*** **

*****_**Alright**_**,*** she agreed, *****_**I won't say anything, but that doesn't give you free reign to go out and make a complete jackass of yourself, understood?**_*** **I nod.

*****_**Good,**_** *** she drops her hands from mine, "Why don't we take your car today so you can show it off?" she says as we gather our school things.

"Cool," I answer, a smile unconsciously forming.

I remember to give her my spare set of keys before we leave and make a mental note to stop and have a set made for Charlie too. She doesn't pursue the Jacob subject on our way to school, instead focusing on appraising my blue baby. She compliments me on my choice and gives a little frown when I tell her how fast it has the potential to go.

_Good thing I didn't tell her how fast I'd actually gotten the car up to last night in my race to get Jacob home by ten, she'd freak out._ I do feel better, having Bella know at least a sliver of my secret. As much as she can annoy me at times, I hate keeping things that were important to me away from her.

**(Bella's POV)**

I keep an eye on my little sister as we ride to school, looking for any signs of insincerity. I know it may seem cruel to an outsider, but my sister has a bit of a reputation for being impulsive. What I continue to see though, is a serene visage and a smile on the edges of her lips.

_Huh._ Serenity and my sister have never been used in the same sentence other than to say she liked a movie of that name. Carlie Swan usually was an emotional and physical tornado, spreading chaos and panic everywhere she went. She surprised me when I saw in her mind that the decision to buy this car had been an informed one instead of another impulse purchase.

I was again taken aback when I could see that even though she spent the entire evening with Jacob, they truly had walked through the town shopping rather than finding every little hidden space to make out, snog, kiss, whatever you wanted to call it. The only exceptions to that had been in the small park when Jacob had asked my twin to be his girlfriend and again when she had dropped him off at his home.

I was actually quite proud of my sister. Public displays of affection had been her specialty up until now. She normally enjoyed everyone's eyes on her and whoever she was with while indulging in very obvious acts of teenage lust. The fact that she wants to keep it quiet for Jacob's sake, because of their age difference, is enough to make me venture to hope that maybe my baby sister is finally starting to see beyond her own whims. Secondly, she had vowed on Mom and Dad that this was different from her previous exploits. As strange and unpredictable as Carlie was, she seldom makes a promise to someone she cares for that she couldn't keep.

I decide not to push the Jacob issue any farther for now. I am overflowing with questions, but hold my tongue. I decide to ask questions about her car, feeling it's a safe area to converse on. I don't want to mess this up. Carlie trusted me with something very important to her without even considering the normal familial implications it could bring down on her head, like blackmailing her to do extra chores. I had done it to her before.

Things had been improving steadily since our parents' funeral and I was desperate to hold on to it. Of all the people I have met in the world, the person I always connected the best with was my erratic twin, but even then we were not always in sync. I don't want to lose the only connection that I have left by overreacting again. The last time I had done that, we ended up orphans and Carlie had attempted suicide. My sister mentions the max speed of her car though, and I can't completely hide my concern, but I manage to recover before the grimace fully forms on my face. The Eclipse isn't really my style, but if it makes her happy, I can deal with it. I would deal with it mainly because she could have done much, much worse.

We find a parking space close to the school and find our group of new friends waiting to swoop down and check out my sister's ride. She proudly allows them to ogle, with warnings of mass bodily harm if anything is harmed. The boys are practically jumping up and down like little kids as they _ooh_ and _ahh_ over every detail, while the girls stand back and laugh at them. My poor Labrador friend, Mike, seems to be having difficulty choosing which Swan twin he wants to follow around. He keeps moving back and forth between my sister and I like he's playing invisible catch or something. She and I exchange a look of amusement as his antics play out. People continue to gush over my sister's vehicle until the first bell for class rings.

_Ugh. Another boring day. I wonder if HE will be here today?_ I ponder as I hug Carlie and start toward class. That same feeling of hope and dread settles in my stomach, though noticeably less evident than the previous day.

**(Carlie's POV)**

My day was dragging until lunch time. The dark haired boy, Allen, and his plump cousin-and best friend- Mischa, from my English class catch me on my way from Art and ask if I want to sit with them today. I agree, since Bella's little group are a little too restrained for my taste anyway_._ I knew she wouldn't mind, we hadn't run in the same social circles at all before coming here.

I sit with them, and by pure chance, we are the only ones at the table. They inquire about my thoughts on Forks so far and how I am adjusting to living in the "sphincter of the world", as they so lovingly call it. I enlighten them to the bustling school I came from in Phoenix and they both give and envious sigh. It's obvious they don't enjoy a lot of the more "traditional" views of Forks. Can't say that I blame them. We are just beginning to compare interests when my phone begins buzzing. I don't recognize the number, but feel compelled to answer it. I excuse myself and walk outside as I do so.

"Hello?" I say a bit defensively, it had better not be one of those idiot boys from back in Phoenix.

"Hey, Beautiful!" is the response.

Warmth floods through me, my face is on fire. "Jake! I didn't know you had a cell!"

I hear his throaty laugh, "Actually I don't, but a friend I go to school with does and he let me borrow it for a few minutes. He said I could bum it every day at lunch as long as I helped him work on his dirt bike, how could I pass that up? Besides, I was in danger of forgetting what beauty incarnate sounds like."

_I can't believe my luck! A chance to talk with him every day without drawing attention! _"That's great! I missed hearing your voice," I mutter, my voice almost a whisper at the end.

"I missed hearing you too, Nessie, but look at it this way, we'll have a chance to talk every day now and not worry about being caught!"

_Great minds do think alike! _

"So, do you know if Charlie is going fishing this weekend yet?" he asks.

I reach a picnic table and let myself collapse on top of it. "Not yet, but I didn't talk to him this morning," I admit," but on account that it's Thursday, I figure Charlie will tell us tonight if he has any plans for this weekend. By the way, he loved the lure kit you picked out so remind me to thank you properly when I see you again."

"Oh, you can count on that" his voice low and gravelly in response to the inflection. I can't help but laugh again.

We sit without speaking a few minutes, just being glad to have this time together, even if it has to be via cell phone...

Then a thought occurs to me, "What will we be doing if we get a chance to see each other?"

I see him shrug in my mind, "I dunno. Maybe go walk a few of the trails around the rez or go to Embry's house and ride his dirt bike. His Mom isn't going to be home most of the weekend, she has to work two 12 hour shifts back to back." From the way it sounds, we were going to get a chance to be alone at some point.

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me, as long as we're together," I answer, my voice full of emotion. Yes, I was most certainly enjoying being his "girl."

"Okay, well my buddy needs his phone back now so...do you want me to call you later? I know I'll be able to sneak a call in after my Dad is asleep."

I can hear the hope in his voice and my heart echoes it," Absolutely call! If you can, make it around eleven, that's usually when I go to bed."

He laughs, then says is a mock-serious voice, "Miss Swan, you are such a corrupting influence, and I think I like it!" We both laugh at his little joke. "You know I-," he stops again, just like this morning, this time waiting for my response.

I feel my cheeks blazing again. "Me too, more so with every breath I take," I answer before hanging up and clutching the phone to my chest.

My sister would die laughing if she had just heard what I had said. It would have fit perfectly into one of her books. I walk back into the warm cafeteria with a smile so big it almost hurt. Almost. I practically skip to the table where my new friends are still sitting. My sister catches my eye as I sit down, an amused smirk on her face. I stick my tongue out at her and turn back to the conversation in progress.

**(Bella's POV)**

I watch my sister walk outside, phone against her ear and a smile stuck to her face. It must be Jacob. She had been sitting across the lunchroom with a boy and a girl I didn't recognize.

_At least she's making new friends,_ I muse as I watch her through the window.

She's sitting on one of the picnic tables now, cheeks bright scarlet and laughing. It's nice to see her smiling and enjoying herself. We have only been here a few days, but Forks has definitely changed my sister; so different than the broken girl that had gotten sick and fainted at our parents' funeral. Even more startling is that I see her reach to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear and I see those awful pink slashes on her wrist, not hidden behind bracelets or wrapping.

I hate remembering that awful night. I had found her in the bathtub, it was filled to the brim with red water that had bits of vomit in it. An empty bottle of Jack Daniels floated in the water and one of the good steak knives was lying bloody on the floor by the tub. I had been afraid to check and see if she was still breathing when she coughed and vomited on my legs and feet. I pulled the drain plug and climbed into the tub with her. She didn't fight me as I had stripped her down and turned the shower on her, rinsing the blood and vomit off of her. She just kept whispering how sorry she was for killing our parents. My guilt had been in overdrive, my earlier accusation towards her echoed in my ears as I kept telling her that I hadn't meant it, I had been confused and upset. It wasn't her fault.

I had carefully checked her wounds, and found myself relieved when I learned that they looked more serious then they actually were. "No permanent damage except for some nasty scarring," my mother's friend said later, after checking them over herself. When I had her cleaned up, we both curled up on her bed and clung to each other quietly, not knowing what the break of dawn would bring for us.

_There were still a few signs of that girl in her, but if that brilliant smile is any indication of the happiness Jacob Black brings into her life, I'm not going to fight it. As a matter of fact, I'm going to do everything I can to help, _I decide right then. _At least one of us was going to have a shot at being happy here._

I smile at that thought. She was off her phone and walking back through the room at that point and she glances over at me, then sticks her tongue out like a five year old as she sits down. Before I can answer in kind, she turns to rejoin her friends. I get my attention diverted as I here Mike babbling about a trip to First Beach in La Push in two weeks.

_Perfect! All I have to do is tell my sister that I have a way for her to see her boyfriend without drawing attention to themselves!_ I throw myself into the conversation, trying to figure out who all will be going on this little adventure.

After school we stop at the hardware store so Carlie can make an extra set of car keys for Charlie, then head straight home. She gets a call while we're making dinner to come in to the hospital to have an interview for the position in the gift shop. She agrees and bolts out the door after kissing mine and Charlie's cheeks. Charlie looks after her with a confused expression and mutters something under his breath as he turns the page of the newspaper.

I keep my eyes on the chicken breast sizzling in the pan in front of me. When dinner is done Charlie and I converse about school and if I've had any luck landing a job yet. I had to admit that no one's called me back yet, but it's nothing to worry about. I may not get a call for a week or so, which is fine with me as along as I still have gas money and enough left over for a shopping trip. My sister isn't the only one who is in need of a few things.

Charlie informs me that he is going to be working all weekend, one of his two deputies is going out of town for the weekend for a relative's wedding and asks if Carlie and I will be okay left to ourselves for so long. I assure him that we will be just fine, telling him we'll probably just do homework and maybe go job hunting. He nods and is quiet, placated by my words.

He moves to his usual after dinner spot and I clean up the kitchen and catch up on laundry while I have the time. Carlie bounces in the door just as I'm preparing to tackle the homework monster.

"I got it! I got it!" she squeals with glee. "I start next Monday because they know we just moved here and are trying to get settled and they don't want me to get overwhelmed already." She turns to me, "Now it will be easier meeting you at the ER when you get hurt Bella!" she teases and skips out of the way as I toss a shoe at her.

"Congratulations, Nessie," Charlie utters from the living room. "Now I don't have to worry about your sister dying before one of us can get to her," he joins in on Carlie's joke.

"Yeah, yeah, bite me." Wrong words to use. In a flash, my sister is chasing me through the house, out the front door, and into the yard where I trip on an exposed root and fall on my rear.

"Silly Bella, why do you always feel the need to constantly test the laws of gravity?" she puts a hand out to help me up.

"Well, Nessie, you never know when gravity is going to just stop working, so I thought I'd be thorough and test it often." She wraps her arm around my waist and mine around hers as we walk back into the house laughing.

After we finish our homework, we sit in her room, practicing. Mom had told us that the key to our abilities was constantly testing our boundaries, using our gifts often to keep ourselves intimately acquainted with them.

During one of our breaks I tell her about Mike Newton's plan for a group outing to La Push and inform her that I told him we would both be in attendance. I go on to say that it's a perfect way for her to meet with Jacob and no one be the wiser. He did live on the reservation after all, who would think it odd that a resident actually comes to the beach on their own lands? She thanks me over and over, her cheeks burning and eyes alight with excitement.

_She's got it bad for him and here I am enabling her!_ I laugh over that. She doesn't notice, no doubt caught up in her own plans for the future, until I bring up that Charlie is going to be working all weekend. Her head snaps up and the gleam in her eyes is unmistakable. _She won't be waiting for the trip to La Push to be seeing Jacob again. _I even offer to go and search for job applications one of those days, just in case she wants to bring him over so they can talk without being interrupted. Her gratitude rolls off of her in waves as she hugs me, then picks up her cell and gets to her feet.

"He's supposed to call around eleven if his dad is asleep, it's quarter til now. Night, Bells. And thank you, you don't know how much this means to me. How much he means to me," she whispers and slips out the door.

**HOW WAS IT? LET ME KNOW BY LEAVING A REVIEW PLEASE! YOUR INPUT IS APPRECIATED! DON'T MAKE ME OFFER YOU UP AS A GUINEA PIG BARBIE TO ALICE!**


	10. Part 10 Roses and Revelations

**Stephenie stills own everything Twilight. gggrrrr I own nothing else I reference in here either, especially if it can get me arrested!**

**A/N: I've had some questions about the twins powers and what they were. That is part of the story. Because their mother died before she could teach them everything, the girls are learning about their powers as they go. I hope it doesn't make anyone mad that I'm playing it close to the chest for now. Thanks again!**

**Another thank you has to go out to the awesome whyuh for her fuckawesome beta'ing skills!**

_**Enya- Only Time**_

_Who can say where the road goes,  
Where the day flows?  
Only time..._

_And who can say if your love grows,  
As your heart chose?  
Only time..._

_Who can say why your heart sighs,  
As your love flies?  
Only time..._

_And who can say why your heart cries,  
When your love lies?  
Only time..._

_Who can say when the roads meet,  
That love might be,  
In your heart._

_And who can say when the day sleeps,  
If the night keeps all your heart?  
Night keeps all your heart..._

_Who can say if your love grows,  
As your heart chose?  
Only time..._

_And who can say where the road goes,  
Where the day flows?  
Only time..._

_Who knows?  
Only time..._

_Who knows?  
Only time..._

**Part 10**

**Roses and Revelations**

**(Carlie's POV)**

As I pad through my room and fall onto the bed, my phone starts shaking. It's _him_.

"Hello darling," he greets, a little breathless, "How's your night been?"

"Better now that I am talking to you," I blurt the truth out before I can think of anything more eloquent. "You?"

"Perfect now. I bet you have that effect on a lot of people though," he laughs," I'm probably going to need to invest in a baseball bat here soon since I never plan on another guy getting anywhere near my girl." I love the way he says it.

"My sister talked to Charlie, he's going to be working all weekend because a deputy is going out of town!" I say to him in an excited whisper.

" That's great! I didn't think we'd get lucky enough to get all weekend to be together!" his excitement as fervent as my own. " This is going to be perfect Carlie, I promise."

"I have to tell you something Jake, it's important." I answer in a serious tone. I don't know how he's going to take my sister being in on our secret.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" his voice dripping with concern. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering.

"Bella knows."

Silence.

_Crap._ _What am I going to do if he doesn't want to see me anymore?_ "Please don't be mad Jake! She knew something was up and got really worried that I was preparing to do something stupid! I had to tell her so she wouldn't worry! I'm so sorry, please don't hate me!" I bent the truth a little, I know, but it was as close as I could tell him right now.

"Oh, Carlie, I don't hate you! I could never hate you!" comes his exasperated response, "I knew it was only a matter of time before she found out anyway. She is your twin after all. Besides, I have something to tell you too. Quil and Embry know about us too, Nessie. After I talked to you at lunch, they held me upside down over a toilet until I told them who I was talking to! I only talked out of self preservation, I swear!" There is no doubting the sincerity in his voice,"Forgive me, please?"

It's my turn to be exasperated. "There's nothing to forgive Jake! Like you said, you only spilled the beans out of a powerful need to survive! I could never be upset about that!" I can't contain my laughter now, though I keep it whisper quiet. "Can they keep their mouths shut though?" I ask.

"They'd better if they value their lives," he replies," Hell, they're just stoked that I got a girl, and an older woman to boot! They are so jealous! And the best part is that they are willing to help us keep this quiet."

"Well, this can definitely work to our advantage then because in two weeks my sister and her friends are planning a trip down to First Beach. There are like, fourteen people going so far. If some of the guys from the reservation happen to show up to mingle with people their own age..." I leave it there, hoping he has figured out what I'm trying to explain.

He picks up on my incomplete thought," No one would think anything out of the ordinary because the kids on the rez are always hanging out with the other kids that come down to the beach! Quil and Embry won't feel cheated with all of the girls to ogle while we're there and you and I might find a way to wander off on our own for a bit without being noticed. Your sister will be able to hang out with her friends without you following her around, but close enough in case her amazing agility makes itself known and she needs to take a trip to the ER." We both laugh at his almost joke, knowing that it is a real possibility. Bella is about as graceful as a one-legged bull in a china shop.

We talk until midnight, at which time we both agree it would be a good idea to actually get some sleep. He promises to call me in the morning and we end our call the same way as the others, not quite saying those words, but getting close enough to convey the emotion they represent.

Friday. It's hell for me. I was a bit cross with Jacob this morning when he called and had forgotten to apologize until after he had said his good morning and hurried off the phone. I am waiting for his call so I can apologize and figure out when and where to meet him the next day. I'm so stressed; my body sits semi-frozen while my mind races. My plans have been laid and I keep wishing I had a fast forward button just so I could get to tomorrow already.

Bella is just the opposite today. She's relaxed and full of good humor whereas I'm the quiet, jumpy one. It's strange to see her laughing so easily over at her lunch table. Allen and Mischa keep asking me if I am okay. I keep telling them that it's just my day dragging, that I'm in a hurry to start my weekend. I'm not lying, but not qualifying the whole truth either.

Lunch is half way over and Jacob still hasn't called. I start to worry if he is okay or if maybe his friend just isn't willing to lend Jake his phone today. Then worse thoughts begin to invade my mind. _Has he decided that it wasn't worth the risk? The hassle? _I wouldn't blame him. Not really. I'm notorious for being able to screw things up, not to mention I have practically thrown myself at him. Maybe he's reevaluated the situation and come to the conclusion that launching himself into a romantic relationship with a seventeen year old ball of trouble isn't what he truly wants out of his life. I also worry that my bout of crankiness has put him off us seeing each other. After all, who wants to be with someone who is a bitch all the time?

With lunch almost over and still no phone call, I feel myself spiraling downward as doubts fill my head. _I need to calm down before I do something stupid. _I know I'm prone to over reaction with regular obstacles, and try to hold off a few more insane ideas attempting to make their way into my head now_. _I excuse myself from Mischa and Allen's increasingly sympathetic stares and slink out to my car for a smoke.

I flip through my CD collection and find one with a soothing, relaxing air and steal glances at the phone approximately every 30 seconds, counting each moment of time with the rhythm of the music.

I know I have messed up somehow. Giving myself over too fast, hoping for him to feel the same way too soon. And he's decided it was too much. I can't blame him, he is only fifteen after all. He is probably more interested in playing football with his friends and thinking of ways to gross out his buddies than being in a relationship with a crazy person who has magical powers, dead parents, and a sister with an obsessive cleaning disorder and still finds room to just dream of just being with him. By the time the bell rang for class, I have myself twisted in to a complicated knot of self-loathing and despair.

My afternoon goes by in a blur of hurt and confusion.

In gym, Bella leaves me alone after I refuse to discuss what's going on, leaving me to stew for a while instead. I sit up on the bleachers, mentally pummeling myself when I hear people talking. The sound is coming from beneath me, under the bleachers.

"I don't understand why he is so interested in that freak, Swan," I hear a girl's voice, "I mean between her ugly mug and her crazy sister, you'd figure he'd have enough sense to keep his distance."

Another girl laughs, "Yeah, did you see the shirt Crazy Swan wore the other day? PSYCH WARD? I wonder if they handed those out while she was staying there." A jumble of nasally laughs. I can feel the hair rising on the back of my neck, but I strain to hear more.

"I don't know about you, but watching Eric and Mike make complete idiots of themselves over the Ugly Duckling is pretty funny," one states.

"Yeah, but I saw the look on your face when Tyler said hi to her in the hall this morning Lauren." A snicker.

"Fuck you, Ashley," More laughter. "Laugh now, but what will you do if Jamie starts acting all stupid around her? Or her sister?" Lauren asks.

"Oh, I'd just kick the crap out of her and drag him off to remind him of why I'm the better choice. Then I'll pull out my secret weapon," Ashley answers.

A third girl speaks, "I don't think being able to suck a golf ball through a garden hose can be considered a secret weapon, Natasha."

"Thinking like that is the reason you don't have a boyfriend. For a guy, going down on him is the same as them buying us roses is to us," is the reply.

"Maybe that's why he's so interested in Swan, Lauren. Maybe she prefers to give than receive, unlike some I've heard of," Natasha says and the little group snickers again.

_That's it! Say all the shit about me that you want, but DO NOT bash my sister!_ I jump down from the bleachers and stomp under the supports.

"Hey girls, just wanted to know which one of you would like your ass kicked first today for talking shit on my sister?" I say it in a fake cheery voice.

They stop and stare, shocked that their little meeting had been overheard. I raise my hands in a questioning gesture that indicates 'Well?' The three girls look at me with masks of horror and confusion on their faces. "Maybe I should start with you, Ashley, since you're the one who brought up kicking my sister's ass over the pencil-dicked rodent you call a boyfriend."

I start walking towards her, my hands curling into fists. "Why do you have it out for my sister anyways? Jealous of having to compete with someone who actually has class or are you upset that you'll have competition to get into Bella's pants? Why don't you just run along home and get your dogs to fuck you, like good little bitches." _Whoa, did I just say that? _

They turn and run. I gather my will and focus it. The one in the lead, Lauren, abruptly trips over her own feet and sprawls onto the floor, her hench-bitches fall on top of her. The way they are squirming is just too suggestive and I'm feeling very naughty at this point.

"Oh my GAWD!" I shriek, "Why are you having SEX under the bleachers?" My voice echoes through the gymnasium and right on cue, one of the teachers comes barreling in, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"What the hell is going on here?" he stops in mid stride. The sight of three teenage girls struggling to untangle themselves probably didn't do any good for his heart, or his eyes. Poor things were doing their best to dislodge themselves from their sockets and get a closer look.

I relax my will and the three girls scramble to their feet, excuses and explanations hurriedly running off of their tongues. I just turn and exit the shadowy hollow, whistling a random tune.

Bella is there waiting. I take her hand and show her what had just transpired. She barely manages to stay on her feet, she's laughing so hard. I chuckle a bit, although the minor distraction hadn't been enough to make me forget why I had been sitting alone in the first place. I drop my hand, and she gives me a questioning look. I just shake my head and move to return to my previous perch.

"Don't worry about them Nessie," Bella whispers, "They are just conceited and well, pissed off, because they were used to getting the attention before us shiny new toys came along."

_Ah, good, she'd misunderstood._ I don't know what I would've told her if she hadn't.

She sits down beside me and we watch the bumbling interactions of the students, aka the Teenage Mating Dance. She knows I'm still not myself and so she starts pointing out things people do and making sarcastic remarks about them. Bella's not normally that kind of person, but I am and she's trying to get my mind off of my problems. I let her because being in my own head is just too much right now.

Finally, it's time to change and go home. I change at warp speed and go out in the hall to wait for Bella to catch up. As I wait, I see those three in the Gym teachers' office, red eyed and sobbing, while they are being lectured on school rules and whatnot. I can't help but smile.

_Serves them right._ Just because they think they are entitled to special treatment from the boys and whoever else and treat everyone else like garbage, I am not going to let us go down without a damn good fight.

**(Bella's POV)**

I want to be mad at Carlie for that stunt she pulled under the bleachers, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I was glad she had put those backbiting girls in their place. The fact that she managed to do it without resorting to violence was just the icing on the cake. I knew it wouldn't have been a good thing for Carlie to get suspended from school her first week here. And though I am sure what they said had upset her, I also knew that whatever snide remarks they made were not the source of my sister's angst. She had been introverted, and withdrawn all afternoon, but she doesn't seem inclined to offer up any information as to why. She had seemed so happy this morning too.

Lunch is when she had changed. She sat with her friends, looking more dejected by the minute. I had just started to get out of my chair to ask what was wrong when she got her things and walked out of the cafeteria. Jacob must have been calling. She always leaves the loud room when he calls. I thought her mood would improve after that, but it has only gotten worse.

_Did they have an argument or something?_ I was sad to see my sister so morose, but know better than to ask her before she is ready to share. So I'll be patient. Like I have any other choice.

She is waiting outside of the gymnasium doors, staring at something. I turn and spot Lauren and her underlings walking the opposite direction.

"Ready?" I ask. She shakes her head at Lauren and nods in my direction. We walk to her car in silence, the unavoidable rain falling down on us again. I missed Phoenix. I missed sun. I missed smelling Mom's failed cooking experiments and Dad's favorite cologne. I missed jumping like idiots on our neighbors' trampoline when I'd stay over there and babysit. I missed feeling safe and warm.

I see four people getting into a shiny silver Volvo as my sister pulls out of the lot; the Cullens. It figures that they would have the nicest car in the lot. Suddenly, my mind conjures the image of Edward Cullen.

_Huh? I've only seen him twice! He's probably dropped out of school, stop worrying!_ I just couldn't shake the feeling that I had something to do with his continued absence.

My sister stops at the store on the way home to pick up a few things. Charlie's working this weekend and she is supposed to go see Jacob, so I assume that she is picking up supplies. She promises again and again that she's not going to be up to anything stupid, just spending time together, getting to know each other better. She is not gone long. She tosses the bags in the back seat and climbs in. She lights one of her menthol's and starts the car.

She finally speaks as we start down the road, "I wonder where that Cullen kid has been all week?"

_Agh! Why does she have to pick now to be perceptive?_ "I don't know," I admit, "I haven't seen him in Biology all week. Probably quit school or something." I focus on removing an invisible speck of lint from my pants.

"Yeah, well it's no big loss Bella, he was an asshole," my sister half-smiles, looking at me sideways as she turns the car onto our street. I get the feeling she's not just referring to Edward Cullen, but keep my mouth firmly closed.

She takes her purchases upstairs while I start the hunt on what to make for dinner. Comfort food.; I find the ingredients to make fried chicken and get to work. A little while into prep, Carlie appears beside me. I scoot over and she begins helping.

Cooking made us both feel better. We got that from Mom. Mom was a creative cook and while not all of her creations were edible, she loved to cook and, in turn, passed it to us. We never ventured into the truly bizarre dishes she did, but we were good at what we did cook.

I'm frying the chicken as a pot full of cubed potatoes and water float onto a burner. I hear the switch turn on before I get a chance to do it. I glance over and Carlie is turning back to work on the salad. I focus on a cherry tomato sitting in the sink and fling it at my sister's head. It actually hits! I can't keep myself from chortling evilly as she faces me while rubbing the back of her head. She half-glares, half-smiles at me and goes back to work.

This time I focus on a slice of cucumber. It hits her cheek with a soft _slap!_ and sticks for a second before sliding down her face. I hear her sounds of disgust as she tosses the slice in the trash. She walks to the fridge and I hover the salad bowl just out of reach of her fingers. When she returns with the cheese and sees the bowl is missing, she puts her hands on her hips and gives me the death-glare. I just shrug and continue watching the chicken. I hear her pull one of the chairs over and climb up on it. I hold back a snicker as she retrieves the bowl. I move it every time she turns her back to it and soon I hear a hiss of frustration and suddenly I am covered in leafy vegetables. It's on after that.

We spend 10 minutes flinging the ruined salad through the air at each other, giggling like idiots the whole time. The vegetables are turning different colors as we vie for control of them. I turn them neon pink, she turns them lime green. The kitchen now resembles a horrid salad explosion. Then we hear a car door slam and footsteps coming up the walk. The salad drops to the floor briefly before I will it into the trash. Carlie uses her will and calls all of the food off of us and it follows the rest into the trash. We're still filthy and laughing when Charlie stomps through the door, but the worst of the mess is gone.

Charlie looks at us and shakes his head, "What is this? Full contact Iron Chef or something?" His question sets us off on another round of laughter. He gives one last look and goes upstairs to change out of his uniform and get a shower.

We get ourselves under control and quickly finish dinner while Charlie is bathing. He looks slightly afraid when he returns to the kitchen, but all traces of our food fight have disappeared and my twin and I are scooping food onto our plates. He doesn't question how we managed to get things clean so quickly as he takes his usual seat at the head of the table. For now, we are almost happy.

_We have made the first steps in becoming a family again._ More than I'd hoped for, more than I'd dare to dream. A realization hits me as the three of us sit and laugh over dinner; _WE can do this. We can make it after all. _That alone made me smile so grandly it almost hurts. Almost.

After dinner, we sit in the living room with Charlie and watch some sitcom. I'm really not interested, but Charlie's been feeling guilty about leaving us girls alone all the time, so we sit and watch. About 10:30 I let out a huge yawn and announce that I am going to bed. It's been a long, exhausting week and I'm looking forward to the less hectic weekend. I trudge up to my room, pull on the pj's and put my iPod on before lying down with a book.

_Ah, silence is bliss._

**(Carlie's POV)**

I watched my sister walk upstairs and decided to take a cue from her. We had been watching tv with Charlie to appease his guilt, but I was tired and just wanted to put this day behind me. I was still worried about what to make of Jacob's non-call at lunch and was desperately hoping he would call me soon. Even if it was just to tell me that he's decided not to be with me after all.

I will my scented candles to light as I enter my room, not wanting to bother with the headache inducing lamp's eerie light. I strip off my school clothes and slide into my pajamas and sit down on the bed to free my hair from the two small braids on either side of my face. I'd had the Jacob/Chief dream again last night. That's why I had been snarky with the real Jake, I had been to the part where I was riding on the red wolf's back again and was peeved to be shocked out of it.

_Jake._

My eyes steal a glance to my phone. _Should I try to call his house?_ My fingers inadvertently twitch at the thought. _But what if Billy answers? What would I say?_

'Hi, I'm Carlie, sorry that I'm calling in the middle of the night, but I need to know if my boyfriend is mad at me'?' _Yeah, I could do that._ If I wanted to end up in jail, and have Jacob grounded until he graduated high school. So calling was out of the question. I brushed my long mane into near submission and was staring out into space when I hear a tinkling sound on my window.

_Great, sleet or hail._ The weather gods must have a big beef against Forks, Washington. I hear the sound again. I get up and move to the window. Down in the darkness, I see a figure move it's arm.

_What the hell?_ I open the window and stick my head out. A small pine cone whacks me in the nose. Now I'm in pain and pissed off. I'm going to kill whoever this is.

"What?" I growl.

"Oh, sorry! Carlie?" I hear a familiar voice call my name, "Carlie please say that's you or I'm in a lot of trouble."

My heart leaps into my throat and my anger evaporates. "Yeah, it's me. Stay there, don't throw anything else. I'll be right out." I shut the window as quietly as I can. I throw my boots on and grab my hoodie before sneaking downstairs, keys in hand, wallet in my hoodie pocket.

I slide out the back door, down the steps, and into his waiting arms. Part of my mind reminds me that I have questions, but I can't remember what they are. They don't really matter, he is holding me against him, and I'm breathing in his woodsy scent. I could feel his lips against my head, my cheek, every where he could reach as I did the same. Finally, our lips meet and the world falls away. I can't tell you how long we stand there, worshiping each others lips, because time doesn't dare restart until we pull apart, gasping for air.

He wraps his arm around my waist and whispers in my ear, "Come with me." His hot breathe raises goose bumps on my skin and I simply nod.

I don't care where we are going, even as we walked into the woods, following some trail I couldn't see. Soon we break back out of the underbrush and my car is sitting there on the side of the road.

"How?" I inquire.

"I stole your sister's key. I remembered that your car was a stick shift and I could push it down the road some so you wouldn't get caught starting it. I put the key back on her key ring before I came out to throw stuff at your window," he chuckles as I rub my nose.

_Stupid pine cones. _"How did you get in the house?"

He shrugs., "The back door was unlocked. Talk about luck! I thought a guy like Charlie would have that place locked up like Fort Knox with having two teenage girls in the house!"

I open the driver's side door and there is a single red rose on the seat. My memory flashes to the hags under the bleachers for a moment. My Jacob isn't like that. I smile and pick the rose up before climbing in.

Jake has a sheepish grin on his face sitting beside me. "I thought I could surprise you with it at your window, but I realized you wouldn't have been able to see what it was so I left it here that way it would be the first thing you saw when you opened the door. I hope it's not cheesy." His eyes look down and his cheeks turn the cutest shade of red.

I lean over and kiss him lightly, "I love it. I don't care if it's cheesy or not. It's from you and that matters more to me than anything." He smiles my favorite smile and pulls me against him, lips crashing against mine once more. _My boyfriend, the burgeoning juvenile delinquent, had done all of this for me__._

After he lets me go, gasping yet again, I start the car and ask where we're headed to. He directs me to a place only a few miles away, telling me he'd rather I took the car so I don't get cold along the way. I park behind some overgrown foliage and we walk down a trail holding hands. He seems so eager, but not wanting to spoil our time together, he walks slowly. I also have a sneaking suspicion that he's afraid I'll be as clumsy as my sister. He's not too far off the mark. He has to save me twice from hidden roots growing across the trail. My breath catches every time he touches my body, but he doesn't seem to notice.

We finally come to a concrete and steel pavilion. It has three walls to protect it from the weather. One wall has a fireplace/grill area, while another wall is unadorned except for some graffiti that's almost completely faded away. There are three thick, wooden picnic tables as well. He walks me around the tables and I see an old blanket spread out on the concrete floor along with a small cooler and a rolled up sleeping bag.

"I figured it would be nice to sit and have a conversation that is outside of a car or over a telephone, and I couldn't wait until tomorrow. It was killing me being away from you," is his only explanation.

We sit down on the blanket, backs to the wall. It's not so bad. The wind is off of us and so is the rain. "There's another way here that you can take the car on so next time we can park it right in front of the shelter," he says as he takes my hand in his, "I'd rather you drive it in the daylight a few times before trying to drive it in the dark, just so you don't hurt yourself or the car."

"That sounds like a good idea," I snuggle closer to his warmth, " I'd rather not go and kill my car so soon after getting it. That would mean almost two years of useless car payments." He snickers and I elbow him lightly in the ribs. "What's so funny about that Jake?"

He shakes his head, "It's actually not funny, but I can see the temper tantrum you would throw over that! Remember, I caught a little taste of that temper this morning?"

My face burns as he mentions it. "Yeah, sorry about that. You woke me up from a very good dream though Jacob."

He pulls his hand away and wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer, "Could a guy get lucky enough to hope it was about him?"

I plant a kiss on his chest, it's the only place I can reach while locked in his arms,. "It was most definitely about you. My dreams are always about you," the heat of my blush doubles as I reveal it. I feel his lips on my scalp. Neither of us are willing to move so we sit like that for a while.

Finally he whispers, "I dream about you too. Every night since we met."

For hours we sit and talk. And kiss. His lips are heaven. Like a drug. By the time we drive back to my house and I hide him in my closet until Charlie leaves, I know I am addicted. After we hear Charlie's cruiser pull away, I ask him if I should take him home and he tells me no, his dad thinks he is staying at Embry's. So we sit and talk on my bed until my head spins, making we wobble.

He pulls me into his arms. " You're exhausted, Nessie! Why didn't you say something?"

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog, "It's nothing. It'll pass. I just don't want to waste any of my time with you by sleeping."

He presses a kiss onto my forehead, "Fat lot of good you'll be if you just fall asleep on me as soon as we get to the rez, why don't you get a few hours and then we'll go?"

I consider that for a bit, and ask, "You'll be here when I wake up?"

He nods against my head, "Yes, I will be here when you wake up. Hell, you might even have to wake me up." My whole body shivers at the thought of waking up in his arms.

"I'll set my cell phone alarm to go off at," I check the time, "eleven o'clock. That will give us at least four hours so neither of us are zombies when I meet your friends, deal?"

He nods, "Deal." Then, without letting go of me, he manages to tug the blankets up over us both as we lay down on the bed. He lies on his back and pulls me to his chest. It feels so good, being wrapped in his embrace. I feel him lay his cheek against my head. That's the last thing I remember.

**(Bella's POV)**

I knew my sister had sneaked out when I woke up at five am to get a glass of water and happened to look out my window. Her car was missing from its usual spot. I went to the bathroom and when I came back, the car was in the driveway. I tip-toed to my sister's door and pressed my ear against it. She was whispering to someone and then there was quiet laughter.

_Great. First weekend here and she manages to sneak Jacob Black into her room. If Charlie comes up, we're both toast. Ugh._ I promised that I would give her a chance to prove this one was different and if I let her get caught, she'll be furious with me for the rest of our natural lives. So instead of going back to my warm bed, I put my slippers on and walk down to the kitchen, jonesing for a cup of coffee.

By the time Charlie wanders upstairs to fill his travel mug, I have it filled and ready, along with a sausage biscuit to take with him. He gives me a brief hug, gathers his belongings, and heads out the door. I pour myself a second cup and walk back upstairs, not liking the chill air and yearning for my warm comforter.

I listen at Carlie's door again; still just talking, no sounds of other, illicit activities, so I move on back to my room. I sit under my covers and read, half expecting to hear footsteps going down the stairs and out the door, but they never do.

At eight, I get up to refill my mug and go and check on my sister. Her door is locked, so I will it open and find a disturbing and yet innocent sight. My sister is sleeping on Jacob's chest, a little smile tugging at both of both of their lips. He has one arm behind his head and the other is wrapped almost protectively around my sister's waist while she has a hand placed over his heart. They are both under the blankets, but there are no signs of undress other than their shoes resting side by side at the foot of her bed. I was about to wake them both up to ask them what the hell they were thinking until I saw that.

_Something looks so right about that little sight._ My angry words die in my throat. I retreat as quietly as I am able, I notice a single red rose in a little vase on her nightstand. _Cute_. I stumble over my own feet as I reach the door. I freeze. Neither wake, though Jacob turns to face my sister and puts his other arm around her, his face burrowing into her hair. I swear I hear him whisper 'I love you' into her hair as he settles once more.

I close the door and lock it. I lay my head against the cool wood frame.

_She was right. This is different._ What I just witnessed seems as natural as breathing and as innocent. I find myself wishing I could have that too. Edward Cullen flashes through my mind again. I shake it off and continue my trek downstairs to obtain another infusion of coffee. That's how my morning goes; upstairs for reading or homework under the warm blankets, occasional trips to the kitchen for caffeine. I hear them start moving about around eleven am. I don't burden them with embarrassment by going out and talking to them.

I hear a rap on my door, "You awake sis?" Carlie's voice is muted, expecting trouble.

I put my Trig homework down, "Come in, Nessie." She slips in the door and stands in the middle of the room, ready for my barrage of accusations and threats.

I let her sweat it out for a few minutes before asking a simple question. "Sleep well?" Her eyes grow big for a moment. She knows that I am aware of what has transpired now.

She nods, "Yeah, thanks for letting us sleep in. We were up talking all night. I swear nothing happened, well, he kissed me, but that was all." She raises her hands in defeat.

I nod, still compelled to believe her, " I believe you, but next time you pull a stunt like this, we talk about it first. That wasn't fair to me. I would get in trouble too you know."

She nods, " I really am sorry. I didn't know, I didn't plan this. I was in my room, getting ready for bed and I heard something bounce off my window. I opened it just in time to get smacked on the nose with a pine cone and it was him. We went outside for a while and talked, but it got so cold and we didn't want caught by Charlie, so I offered to take him home. He said no. His dad thinks he stayed at a friend's house and isn't expecting him home until tonight, so we came back here. Just to talk. Then I got dizzy and he laid down with me. I set the alarm so we wouldn't sleep all day and-"

I cut her off, " I don't need every single detail Carlie, geesh. I'm glad you're telling me and all, but isn't Jake waiting for you two to go have your day out together?"

She smiles and nods. Then she bounds over to the bad and catches me in a big hug. " Thank you, thank you, thank you! If' I'm ever mean or rude to you ever again-,"

I wave my hand, "I know you're back to normal. Now go before I have a chance to change my mind. And have fun."

Her head tilts to the side, " You could go with us, meet Quil and Embry too. Come have fun with us. Who knows, you could end up dating a big Indian yourself," she winks as she says 'Indian.'

I shake my head, "Oh no. I'm staying out of this crazy scheme. I'm probably going to go down to the library and do homework. Normal day for me. At least I won't have you bugging me every five minutes this way." She hugs me again and bounces down the stairs.

I hear "Love you Bells!" right before the front door closes. I pick my homework back up and settle in for a quiet weekend.

**PLEASE REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME AND HELPS ME KEEP WRITING WHEN I KNOW PEOPLE CARE ENOUGH ABOUT MY STORY TO LEAVE ONE ****TEENY-TINY REVIEW!**


	11. Part 11 Don't Panic

As if it wasn't obvious, I don't own Twilight or anything else that is copyrighted that I might make reference to. If I did, do you think I'd be writing on here and not making insane amounts of money while doing so????

Team Switzerland Forever!!!

_**Warning. Teenage hormones make appearances in this chapter!!!!!!**_

**Part 11**

**Don't Panic.**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

As we drive to the reservation, Jake positively bubbles with excitement about being able to introduce me to his friends. I didn't know someone could be this energetic over a simple meet and greet with one's social circle, but he is. And I love him for it. No one I have ever known has been this happy to introduce me to their life and everything that comes with it. It made me feel....wanted. No, wanted was too tame of a word. It made me feel needed. Necessary. Yes! I had found an appropriate word. Jake's enthusiasm made me feel necessary. I was necessary for him to be able to be happy. There was more to my life than simply existing. The epiphany made me feel high. High on life. I soon find out that Jake had that effect on people.

Quil and Embry were everything that my parents had taught me to avoid in boys. They were loud, raunchy, very un-PC, slightly sexist and barrels of unbridled fun. When Jake formally introduced us, Embry boldly groped my ass and Quil, though more mannerly than Embry, still gave me a once over and let out a low wolf-whistle of approval. Jake had simply wrapped his arm around me and growled,"My girl." I shivered when he'd said it. The primal instinct behind the growl made me tremble in a very non romantic and yet equally seductive way. The other two boys had looked at Jake with a mix of awe and something akin to fear when he had let that low rumble of superiority roll up his chest and out of his throat. There was a silent acknowledgement of his claim, then that superior air was gone and he was just Jacob again. I couldn't help but wonder if I would be able to make that alpha mentality rise up and out of him again. I had a distinct feeling that I could, but now was not the time or place to test that theory. Now was just a time to have fun and enjoy what little bit of public display of our relationship that we could, before the real world caught up and we were once again forced to live a lie. I had a new respect for Romeo and Juliet now, I know that.

We walked trails, gazed at the tide pools on the beach, and even played a little football in Embry's backyard. It was one of the most enjoyable days I'd ever had. I even drove the boys to Port Angeles just so we could get pizza and goof around at the mall. Embry and Quil were busy with their antics to impress the girls that they didn't even notice when Jake and I ventured off to find a place to sit and talk without constantly interrupted with shouts of "Hey, watch this!" or "Look at the ass on that one!" We kept them in our sight the best we could, like two parents enjoying a moment of piece while watching their kids play on the swings. It was more hilarious because every now and then, one of them would rile Jake up by running up to me and kissing me on the cheek when they thought Jacob was distracted. Once, Quil underestimated Jake's perceptiveness and ended up being chased clear out of the mall and across the parking lot before I could catch up and get a handle on him. Jake wasn't mad at all, he just enjoyed damaging Quil's calm.

The pinnacle of my mall experience was when Quil pushed Embry into one of the fountains and we heard someone call for Security. We decided then it was time to go, but we had to avoid detection by Mall Security as we made our way out. While slinking down one hall, all three boys starting humming the tune 'Secret Agent Man'. It was then I knew I had found kindred spirits. The sight of three half-grown Indians ducking, weaving, and rolling their way to the exit was just too much. I hit the ground laughing harder than I ever had in my entire life. I was so incapacitated by my laughter that Jake had to come back, pick me up, and carry me to the car. As we sit by my car laughing, two attractive teen girls walk by, a blond and a redhead. Quil gives a low whistle and nudges Embry, "Check out the ass on the blond! Smokin' hot!" I laugh as I shake my head, "Nah, the redhead is much hotter." I suddenly have three astonished teenage boys staring at me like I had just spoken in tongues. "What?" I ask, "Aren't I allowed to have an opinion?" They burst out laughing and tell Jacob that he's allowed to keep me, then fight over who has dibs if me and Jake ever split up. Jake smiles and pulls me close to him for one of those soul deep kisses, not caring about the laughter or raunchy remarks his friends howl while his lips are on mine. When he finally pulls away, Quil and Embry dive into the car, where they know Jake wouldn't resort to violence for fear of damaging my Eclipse. It also reminds us that it is time to go. Jake opens the driver's side door and waits for me to get in. I comply. He shuts the door and jogs around to get into the passenger side.

We race home, a sudden need to be with Jake alone spurns me on to take the turns a little faster, press the gas down a little harder. I can feel it in him too. It's not a need to rut like animals, just a driving, almost painful desire to be together and away from distractions. I don't even look at the speedometer as we go, but I do notice that we make it to La Push in a fairly short amount of time. Jake all but throws his two best friends from the vehicle in front of Embry's. Once alone, all of the tension that had been building evaporates. He quietly gives me directions to somewhere. I follow them without question or complaint.

We end up on a little travelled road and follow it about a mile before it abruptly ends. He tells me to park the car and I do. He's out of the car and opening my door, hand extended, just as I pull the emergency brake. "We have to hurry or we'll miss it." is all he says. I exit the vehicle and he pulls me along a path. I can hear the ocean after a few minutes. It reminds me of my dream slightly. Then the trees thin and suddenly we are walking on a deserted beach. He keeps my hand as we walk parallel to the ocean for a few minutes, neither of us talking. He finds a large piece of driftwood and pulls us towards it. We sit and he once again pulls me close to him, then points in the direction of the water. He leans down so close that I can feel the tremble of his lips as he whispers in my ear, "Just watch." I nod and focus my attention to the setting sun. I feel his lips against my hair again as we take in the magnificent sight. Less than five minutes after our arrival, the sun reaches the perfect point and sets the water ablaze. Jake picks me up and sets me in his lap, wrapping both arms around me and resting his chin on my shoulder. We don't talk, we just marvel at the natural, breathtaking beauty before us. I cannot recall anything being more beautiful or pure as we sit there, holding each other tight. A part of my mind registers the cold winds coming off of the ocean, but my body refuses to be chilled as it's held against Jacob's warm physique. Just as the sun finally disappears beneath the waves, I hear Jacob whisper in my ear, " I love you."

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

Carlie gets home long before Charlie is due, grinning like the village idiot. She floats passed me, with a wistul "Hello!" and continues up the stairs. I hear her enter her room and then go into the bathroom. The shower turns on and I realize that I am going to have to wait for Carlie to emerge from whatever bubble she is in before I'll get any kind of useful information. I continue working on my English essay, doing my best not to focus on what could have put such a smile on her face. After a bit, I hear the water turn off and my sister's feet patter back to her room. I'm getting really impatient at this point. I'm almost to my feet when I hear her dancing, yes dancing, down the stairs. And then it hits me. Visions of her entire day flashing through my brain of three Quileute boys acting like imbeciles and antics that were worthy of arrest, I believe. Pranks played at the mall in Port Angeles and the race home.

Then her mind slows down, settling on her memories of watching the sunset with her boyfriend. I can feel the intense emotion as I watch it. And then I hear the words that had been said earlier, in a slumber. He'd said it to her at the moment the sun was no longer touching the ocean with its light. And she'd answered him with those same words. Wow. Her hand drops from my cheek and I see her face again. Now I see that it is not a stupid grin or a manic light in her eyes. It was euphoria mixed with love. My sister is in love with him. A small pang of envy sprouts in my chest as I look at her, eyes alight and positively glowing. I cannot feel jealousy, I'm too happy for her to think even the tiniest ill thought about her happiness. My younger twin was happy and I was happy with that. And what makes it so much better is that I know that he loves her too.

I give her a hug, trying to convey the joy I feel for her happiness in the embrace. She acknowledges it, accepts it, and I feel a rush of gratitude in return. For a single moment, we both are able to bask in the light of her and Jacob's love for each other. I open my mind to her afterwards, letting her see just how honored I am that she would share such an intimate, sacred moment with me. There are no words for it, so I don't try to force any out of my mouth. I just smile at her before letting her go.

And then she is telling me every detail about her day with Jacob and his friends. It is odd hearing it spoken aloud after being flooded with her memories. I listen as she talks, truly interested in how her day went. She is bouncing up and down in her seat as she explains how Quil and Embry would flirt with her when they thought Jake wasn't looking and how Jake chased Embry across the mall and through the parking lot when he was caught kissing her cheek. She giggled like a lunatic while describing Quil and Embry's game of chicken that ended up with one of them in the fountain and the following game of hide-and-run-like-hell with the security guards. She recalls, with a certain amount of laughter, the way the boys secret agent act made her laugh like crazy as they escaped the mall. I laugh until my sides hurt at her take on that event.

She's just beginning her story of how she shocked the three boys with her comment about a redhead's rear end when we hear Charlie's cruiser pull in. With a wink, she gets up and pours three cups of coffee, offering our uncle his mug and he stomps in the door. He looks at her with a quizzical expression so she taps her temple with a finger while saying, " I have ESPN. All seven channels," we both laugh at that, but poor Charlie looks more confused than ever. I reheat some leftovers for him and leave him to his meal and game while Carlie and I make our way up to my room. Once safe behind closed doors, she continues her stories about the adventures of being the only girl with three crazy Indians.

It feels good to spend time with Carlie. I'd forgotten how nice it was to just be two teenage girls prattling about teenage things. We talk for hours about nothing and everything, even while managing to get some practice in. She tells me that she wants to tell Jake about her powers when she sees him tomorrow. She is positive that he won't be upset and that he can keep the secret. I am a little unsure, but then remember the feelings that had claimed me when my sister had shown me that moment at sunset. Jake loved her and she loved him. He would need to know about our secret. There was also something impossibly alluring at the idea of someone else knowing about our abilities, so I let her talk me into agreeing. I know it must be eleven though, when she startles, then retrieves her cell from her pajama pocket. She excuses herself quietly and retreats to her room. Even a twin was no competition when it came to true love, and I never thought of trying to. I simply pulled out my iPod, turned out my lamp, and crawled in bed. I could tell her in the morning that I had finally received a call for a job. She wasn't the only one who started a new job on Monday. I wasn't in a hurry, it could wait. I didn't have the energy to try and penetrate her bubble of perfect bliss with the spike of mundania.

In the morning, I knew before I'd opened my eyes that Carlie wasn't home. I could feel it. For once, I wasn't worried about my fickle twin. I was content letting her be free, letting her wrap her devotion around Jacob. I don't know why, I couldn't explain it if I tried except that it still felt right. I caught myself as the realization dawned on me that I was looking forward to hearing about the crazy things that seemed to happen to her when she was with Jake. Great, I groaned to myself. I'd met the guy once and he was already Jake to me. Breathe, don't panic. It's just her memories leaving residual energy on your psyche. It will pass, it always does.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

I had been ready to leave as soon as Charlie's car turned the corner. Jake and I had talked for most of the night, but I couldn't find sleep after we'd hung up, so I'd done all of the dirty laundry in the house, washed, dried, and put away all of the dishes. I then moved onto dusting the entire house before moving onto organizing Charlie's DVD collection alphabetically all while consuming massive amounts of coffee. I knew I was acting like Bella as I did these things, but I couldn't stop. If I stopped and sat still, I'd lose my mind. I missed Jacob. I missed being in his arms. After sleeping beside him those few hours, I was already spoiled. I couldn't lay in my bed without feeling that it was too big, too cold. It was almost blasphemy to even consider sleep without him beside me. So I continued cleaning and downing caffeine until I could return to his arms. I'd hid in my room while Charlie went through his morning routine, wishing for a fast-forward button again. Don't panic. Don't do something stupid. I kept repeating these things in my head, doubting how much longer I could hold on, the pain was getting worse. But he finally left at 5:30 am and I leaped from the bed and was out the door in under a minute, in the car and speeding to my Jacob in another.

The ride to his house was infuriatingly slow. I pushed my Eclipse to the limit as I sped along rain soaked roads, ignoring the speed limit signs like they were part of the forest. Don't panic. Don't do something stupid. I needed to be with him now. It wasn't sexual or vulgar, it was like needing oxygen to breathe. I couldn't breathe without my Jacob. I knew this was irrational, but I didn't care. Not then. The yearning had become pain while waiting for my uncle to leave for work. The pain became torture as I drove. Don't panic. Don't do something stupid. I repeated it over and over until it was a constant drumming in my skull. Torture became agony as I parked the car a safe distance away and navigated through the trees until I was sneaking across his yard, to his window. Don't panic. Don't do something stupid. I thought my chest would explode as I tapped on his window. Tears had begun their threats to overflow, my mind thinking he would never answer. But he did. Within seconds his window was open and his arms were around me, pulling me into the bed that was right on the other side of that windowsill. As soon as he touched me, the agony melted away and was replaced by sheer joy as his lips sought out mine. "My Jacob," was all I managed to say. A whimper escaped me as our lips met. The world once again fell away, leaving only us, wrapped in one another's arms. When we finally stopped to breathe, I once again lay with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around me so tightly that it would have hurt a normal person. For me, it still wasn't tight enough, but it would do.

I know I fell asleep because my next memory was feeling Jake brushing his lips against my cheek and that soft whisper," Good morning Beautiful. I love you." I leaned into the feeling of his lips against my face, "I love you too." I heard him sigh, his hot, sweet breath caressing my skin. It was a sigh of happiness. His arms tightened around me as his lips moved lower, finding the soft flesh below my ear, "Say it again," he pleaded in a whispered breath."Please." "I love you," I repeated, my voice no louder than his, but I knew he had heard it. We lay tangled together for an immeasurable amount of time, just basking in our little bubble. Eventually Jake pulled us up from the bed and whispered to me that he wanted to show me the sunrise, so I climbed back out the window and waited while he changed out of his pajamas. I lit a cigarette and did my best to keep from bouncing my weight from one foot to the other as I waited. Then his arm was around my waist again and we were walking across his yard and back into the woods. As we walked, the air around us began to lighten and I was beginning to worry that we would miss it when he pointed to a large boulder half-buried in the hillside. He lifted me up until I could get enough of a handhold to pull myself the rest of the way over the edge, then scrambled up after me. And just like when we sat and watched the sunset, he wrapped me in his arms and pulled me close to his chest. Again, we didn't speak as we watched the beauty unfold, we just held each other impossibly tight. And just like before, as soon as the sun cleared the horizon, his lips trembled against my ear as he said he loved me. And again, I said it back with a conviction that no one could deny the validity of.

Once the performance was over, I realized Jake was staring at me with an amused expression. "What?" I asked. "Well," he smiled," it's not like I really have a problem with waking up to my girl tapping on my window, begging to be let in, but I have to ask: What in the world compelled you to show up before dawn?" I shook my head," I don't have an explanation that doesn't make me sound like a stalker. Cut that out," I glared at him as he burst out laughing. "Sure, sure," is his response. "Anyways, I couldn't sleep after we got off the phone so I started cleaning house. I didn't want to sleep in my bed without you. I know that sounds childish, but it made perfect sense at the time. I had constructed a plan in my sleep deprived cleaning spree because I had to see you as soon as Charlie left for the station. The longer the night went, the better the idea sounded. I don't know what happened then, my chest began to hurt so bad I wanted to cry. I should have realized that it was because I had been pumping large amounts of caffeine into my system all night and my body was trying to shut itself down to sleep, but that's not what registered. You'd been in my thoughts all night and my screwed up consciousness misconstrued the warning signs my body was giving me that I needed to rest as I was missing you so bad it was hurting me. I was so far gone that no rationality came into play at all." I shrugged, "I warned you that there was something wrong with my brain." He kisses my forehead," Yeah, but I knew there was something wrong with you as soon as you agreed to be my girl."

He stands, pulling me with him. "Hungry?" "What about your dad?" I ask, wondering if Jake was losing his mind as well. He smiles, "Yeah, he didn't come home last night. When I got in the house there was a note for me saying he was staying up at Harry and Sue Clearwater's, there was a late game that him and Harry were going to catch." I grab him and do my best to yank him to a stop. I wouldn't have truly been able to if he didn't want to, but he allowed it. "Wait. Are you telling me that you were here alone all night?" He nods, looking a little guilty for hiding the fact until now. I smack his arm, "Geez Jake, you could have stayed with me last night! At least you wouldn't have had to be by yourself then!" He shrugs and laughs again, "And what would Charlie have said if he had decided to check in on his nieces before work and found me in your bed, huh?" His eyes are twinkling, though his question was dead serious. My shoulders slump. "Shit. Didn't think about that." "You probably just need more sleep Nessie, you only crashed for an hour in my room before I just had to wake you up. You snore." he jokes, but I can see the real concern shadowing his eyes.

I don't answer as he helps me down. I have a Bella moment right at the bottom. I trip and fall, this time Jake doesn't catch me in time and he falls on top of me in his attempt to save me. He damn near knocked the wind out of me with the awkward landing, but I can't let an opportunity to kiss him slip by. He doesn't object. Much. He asks if I'm okay between the first few kisses and after assuring him that I am for the third time, he gives himself over to the kiss completely. It starts out slow and sweet, like all of our previous kisses, but I shift under him to get the tree root out of my spine and a groan erupts from his chest and he starts kissing me harder, deeper. He shifts slightly and I feel an odd pressure against my leg that's trapped between both of his. He notices at the same time I do and hurriedly pushes himself off of me, blushing furiously.

I sit up and reach into my pocket for my cigs while trying desperately to give him a minute to compose himself. He walks a short distance away and stands with his back to me while I smoke. Occasionally I catch a muttered word like "Stupid" and "Disrespectful" and even a "rotten bastard" finds it's way to me. Is he arguing with himself? I decide to spare him the self torture. I stand, walk over to him, and wrap my arms around him from behind. "Is that offer for breakfast still open?" I ask and right on cue, my stomach grumbles. He sighs and nods, "Of course! What would you like? We've got eggs and cereal. Anything else and we're going out for breakfast." I contemplate that for a minute, chewing on my lower lip. He raises his hand to my face and rubs his thumb across my lips, gently touches my little spike,"Stop that. How can I kiss you if you chew a hole in your lip?" and to demonstrate his point, he leans down and gently presses his lips to mine. He then leans back just enough to look into my eyes, "I'm sorry for that back there. It was rude and inconsiderate. I'm not that kind of jerk Carlie, I want you to know that. I'm not after what most guys are. I love you and I want to treat you with the respect that you deserve. Please don't think that I'm some asshole looking for something to hump." he blushes a little at the end, and it triggers my own. "Jake," I whisper," I know you're not that kind of guy. I know you respect me and I know you love me. I love you too. Don't blame yourself for a natural reaction," I smile to show that I'm joking," It's not like you really have a choice, you can't help it that your girl is so damn hot!" We both laugh and start walking back to his house, our hands linked together tightly.

After a hastily eaten bowl of cereal, I give him a kiss and slip out the door with a promise to be back in a few hours. We know that I can't be seen anywhere near his place and I want to be gone long before Billy makes an appearance. I find my way back to the car and decide it would be best if I went home and at least grabbed a shower before seeing Jacob again. I had mud drying on my pants and the back of my jacket and I was still picking bits of leaves and sticks out of my hair from my less than graceful dismount from the boulder. Yeah, I definitely needed a shower. And a change of clothes. So I drove home, thinking about my lunatic drive to his house earlier, and promised that it would never happen again. I wouldn't be that stupid ever again. I couldn't afford to be, too many people were involved now, helping us keep our secret. I wouldn't be able to face any of them if I went and screwed everything up, even if I had been delusional because of sleep deprivation and caffeine overload.

Bella is still asleep when I get home. I grab a quick shower and change into my black cargo pants and pull on a long sleeved Lacuna Coil tee before sliding my boots back on and going down to grab a cup of coffee. I make cinnamon rolls while waiting for Bella to wake up. I know the smell alone will rouse her, so I set them on the counter and wait, passing the time by making small bursts of light in the space of the kitchen, each one bursting once reaching it's intended hue. By the time my sister drags her sorry butt downstairs, I'm ready to climb the walls. But patience is supposed to be a virtue. I hand her a coffee mug and her cinnamon roll. I do my best not to bother my twin until she is properly awake, but I find myself being unable to hold myself together for that long. Just because my need for Jacob had been mutilated by the lack of sleep and caffeine overdose, I still needed to be with him. I yearned for him. Not the insane way that had compelled me to speed to La Push earlier, but I still needed my Jacob. Hobbits have little gold rings, I have a Quileute Indian. I think I got the better bargain.

"I'm going to see Jacob again today Bells." I wince instinctively, waiting for the ire. It doesn't come. "I know Nessie. Have fun with Jacob." she responds dismissively."I'm going to go job hunting so I won't be home all day either. Charlie won't be home until probably midnight, so I'll go ahead and make dinner and just put it in the fridge. You can heat it back up when you get home." She looks up from her coffee,"I'll make sure I make enough for Jacob to eat too, so he isn't starving when you take him home tonight." I can't hide my surprise,"What? Who said I'm bringing Jake here?" "I did Nessie. It's going to be absolutely frigid all damn day and I don't want you or your boyfriend getting sick because you have to hide out in the woods all day just to spend time together. So bring him here, where you will be dry, warm, and have ready access to things like bathrooms. Just don't do anything stupid. Now, if you don't mind, I want to be left alone so I can read the newspaper in peace without my crazy sister running around the house like a freakish Tasmanian devil. Now go, before I come to my senses. I'll be leaving in about 45 minutes anyways." I am so happy that I give her the biggest hug I possibly can, kiss her noisily on the forehead, and dash out the door, towards my Jacob, for the second time that day.

My cell rings just as I pass the border of the reservation."Hello?" I hear a soft sigh,"I swear Carlie, I will never get tired of hearing your voice," Jacob says," I'll meet you where we parked to go see the sunset, then we can figure out what to do today. Sound good?" "Actually Jake, Bells is going to be out of the house all day and my uncle isn't due home until late, want to come over to my place?" Please say yes!!! I'd been dying to get him back onto my bed, just so he could hold me again. "Sure! Maybe we could catch a nap while we're at it." he chortles,"Being woke up by a beautiful woman is wonderful, but her choice on the hour really sucked.' I know I am blushing, my mind bringing back the images of us laying on his bed, just kissing and holding each other until I'd passed out on his chest. This mixed with the joy that he had been thinking the same things I had. "Well, that's a tempting offer Mr. Black, on account I've been trying to figure out a way to get you back into my bed. See you in a few. Love you." He says that he loves me too and I hit the End button, needing to concentrate on not breaking any traffic laws. I didn't want to tempt fate after my idiotic stunt this morning.

He's waiting when I arrive. I pull along side him,"Hey, Indian with the nice ass, need a ride?" He smiles and climbs in. As soon as the door closes, he is pulling me into a kiss that makes my toes curl. No, he definitely doesn't kiss like a 15 year old. "What's got you in a mood?" he asks when we finally part. I absently spin the spike in my lip as I think of how to answer then shrug, "I missed you, and I'm still a little out of my mind from not sleeping." He laughs, "I believe that is the first time I have ever been called an Indian with a nice ass Carlie. Aren't you worried about someone screaming racism or something if they'd heard that?" "Yeah, well, the only people that would be screaming would be the ones who were jealous that I said it to you and not them," I reach over and take his hand, "Aren't you worried about people on the rez being pissed that you're running around with a crazy white girl who dresses funny and has body piercings?" He shakes his head, "No, I'm not. If they are stupid enough to judge on the color of your skin, the clothes you wear, and the kind of body jewelry you prefer, I'd say I'm better off hanging with the crazy white girl." He scans through my cd book and finds one he likes and holds it up with a questioning look. I nod and light a cigarette. While we drive, he takes my phone out the console and starts taking pictures. "Hey! You're going to break my phone Jake!" I yell as he aims it at me. "Bullshit Carlie, you're beautiful," he answers and presses the button, "and I'm hoping that maybe you'll get a few of these printed out for me so I can actually hold a picture of you when I start thinking you're a figment of my imagination again." I can't help but smile and he returns to snapping photo's.

I drop him off close to my house so he can walk the trail to the backyard. It wouldn't be smart to have him get out of the car with me, even though it bothers me to be so devious about it. I can't help but think that if a stranger would have seen this, they would think that I am ashamed of my relationship with Jacob. I hate having to hide like this, but the thought of going to jail and never seeing him again bothers me more. I park the car and run into the house, straight to the back door. He's waiting. He is standing with his back to the door, hands jammed into his pockets while watching the icy drizzle. A slight wind plays with his raven locks, making it swirl around him. I freeze, hand on the door knob, completely absorbed in memorizing this moment. Tears form in my eyes as I wonder how I managed to trick the Fates into letting me find this wonderful person who wants to love me, wants to take care of me not because of what I can do for him or how popular I am, but because I simply am. Just for being me. He turns and sees me. He throws open the door and immediately his arms engulf my trembling form, "What's wrong Carlie? Are you okay?" his eyes are filled with worry and his voice barely a whisper. I snuggle my face against his chest," How will I ever be able to keep you Jake? I'm nothing but trouble. There is nothing in my life that I have done right except for loving you. It will only be a matter of time before you see that I'm no good for you and walk away. I don't have anything to ke-" He cuts me off, "Don't say that dammit! You are not a bad person. We all make mistakes, that's normal. You're not going to do anything to make me leave you,"his voice is husky and thick with emotion, "I'm not saying it will be perfect or even normal. Hell, I didn't believe in all of that love-at-first-sight crap at all, then I saw you for the first time." I feel his hand under my chin, forcing me to look up at him. "I knew you were different, good different, the moment I saw you," his dark eyes locked with mine, "I am yours Carlie Elizabeth Swan. And you are mine. My girl. And in a few months, when neither of us have to worry about the cops, I'm going to tell everyone that I am in love with the greatest girl in the world. You. And there isn't a damn thing anyone will be able to do about it." He kisses me softly, then looks into my eyes once more, "I love you. Funny clothes, body mods, ball of trouble, the works. I love everything about you. I couldn't walk away from this, "he squeezes me to him, "any more than I could stop breathing and keep living. It's not possible for me, not now. If I want to live, I have to be with you." Then his lips are on mine.

Suddenly he breaks the kiss and scoops me up in his arms, bridal style, and starts carrying me through the house. My stomach starts doing acrobatics again. "What are we doing Jake?" I ask. He kisses my forehead, "You're exhausted honey. I'm putting your little butt in bed so you can take a nap." My face must have scared him because he quickly adds, "Don't worry, I'm going to be right beside you. I haven't forgotten about you saying that you couldn't sleep without me. If that's the case, I am morally abligated as the boyfriend to do everything in my power to make sure my girl gets enough rest." He gently kicks open my bedroom door and lays me onto the bed. He leans down and slides my boots off before covering me up with the comforter. He walks to the other side, removes his own shoes, and crawls under the blanket beside me. As he pulls me to his warm body, my back against his muscular chest, I can feel the weight of my exhaustion overtake my mind. "Don't forget this. I want to show you something when we wake up." I mumble as I feel myself slipping away. I feel him kiss my head and whisper that he loves me as the blackness envelopes me.

I become aware of arms around me and something warm and soft brushing my jawline. My eyes flutter, not wanting to open in case I am still dreaming. "Time to wake up beautiful," he whispers in my ear. My eyes shoot open and immediately find his, looking down at me lovingly. "Jake!" my voice a raspy ghost of it's normal self," I thought I'd dreamt it!" He chuckles and his arms tighten around me briefly, "Well, I am pretty unbelievable, so I can understand your confusion." "Har har," I stretch the best I can while being caged in his embrace, "What time is it?" "Almost one. I was afraid that you'd still be loopy if I didn't let you get at least four or five hours sleep. Then I'd just have to spend all our time laughing at you when you did something silly." I rub my eyes and shift, letting him know I want to sit up. He softens his grip, but doesn't let go. "Don't think I'm going to let you go any sooner than I absolutely have to love. I'm trying to save up for a weeks worth of being away from you and having to sleep alone." "I'll be back in a sec Jake, unless you want me to piss myself," I elbow him and walk as fast as I can, I really had to go.

After relieving my screaming bladder, I quickly untangle my hair and brush my teeth before bolting back to my room. He is looking at my pile of sketch books, the top one is open and he is idly sifting through the pages. "Drawing has always been my way of dealing with things," I speak quietly, but he startles, looking embarrassed for being caught. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry," he says," but these are amazing Carlie. I've never seen anything this good. I didn't realize my girl was so damn talented. You're good at everything!" My cheeks turn hot as I cross the room and look at the book, "I'm not that good Jake, I just love drawing." He takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze, "You're so much better than good. You are amazing. You need to stop putting yourself down every time someone gives you a compliment. Isn't there something you wanted to show me?"

My stomach does a back flip. How is he going to handle this, his girlfriend being a lot weirder than he could ever dream? It has to be now, before we get any deeper, it would only hurt us both more if I waited and it turned out badly. I sigh and nod, "Yeah, but not here. Get your shoes back on, we're going for a walk." He complies. I plan as I pull my own back on and grab my hoodie. He smiles and takes my hand as we walk, letting me lead the way. I change my mind a few thousand times before finding a nice flat rock under a giant pine to sit on. I lower myself onto the rock while indicating for him to sit across from me. He does, a curious yet amused expression on his face. I don't know what I'll do if he rejects me because of my powers, but I don't have a choice. I can't lie to him or hide it from him because he deserves to know what his girlfriend is capable of. He takes one of my hands in his,"What's the matter honey? You look like you've been lined up before a firing squad." With my free hand, I run my fingers through my hair and release the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding, "Okay Jake, um, here's the deal. I'm not a normal girl and neither is Bella." a nervous laugh escapes me," I don't know how to explain it right. It sounds too crazy." He grabs my chin and gently turns my face to his," Whatever it is Carlie, I'm not going to leave you. I just want you to know, though, if you're an alien, I'm going to make you take me with you when you leave, " he says with a small laugh, "So spill it before I start calling you E.T and asking if you need to phone home." Here goes nothing, everything. I close my eyes, I don't want to see the horror on his face.

"I'm a witch Jacob."

He lets out a big sigh, "That's all? You're a witch? Like a Wiccan? And here I thought you were going to tell me that you'd decided it was a bad idea being with me. This is so much easier." He moves to hug me and I put my hand up, stopping him. "Wicca is an Earth-based religion that deifies the different aspects of nature and the practitioners call themselves witches, but what I am is different. I cast magic, like the magic you read about in fantasy novels. You could call us mages, or wizards or a million different things. We prefer to call ourselves witches because it makes it easier to say and not be caught." Jake looks at me, an amused glint in his eyes, " You mean like Dungeons and Dragons? What level are you then? 17th level teenager slash 5th level wizard, sorry, 5th level Witch?" I smack his arm, "I'm trying to tell you the most important secret of my life and you're already making fun of me for it? That's not very nice Jacob Black." The hurt must have been evident in my eyes, because he is suddenly no longer amused, but shocked. "I'm so sorry Carlie! I just, I didn't mean, I.." his voice trails off, not knowing what to say. We sit for a few minutes. I'm fighting the urge to tell him to forget it and I'd just take him home so he could go on with his life and not worry about me bothering him ever again when I hear two little words. "Show me."

"Don't Panic." I tell him as I look around us, trying to find something simple to start out with. I find a broken tree branch. I get to my feet and lift my arm, willing the branch to my hand. I hear him gasp as the wood lifts out of the moss carpet and flies into my hand. I release my will slowly, shaping and twisting the branch around itself until it looks like thick braid. Then I use my will to toss it away." Go fetch." I weakly attempt humor while avoiding his eyes that have grown to the size of saucers. He laughs in amazement, "I'm not a dog Nessie," but he gets up and retrieves the wooden braid, inspecting it as he returns to the rock. He sits back down, wood in hand, "What else can you do?" there is no fear in his eyes, only awe and wonder.

I shrug, "The thing about our power is that it is only limited to what we think we are capable of except for two things. Number one: You cannot unmake anything. Ever. The universe gets pretty pissed off if you try to undo something it's created and gets even by obliterating you. Rule number two : No bringing the dead back to life. If someone dies and their soul passes on, there is no bringing them back, just a shell with the echo of their memories. It's not a pretty sight, from what I've been told. Most everything else is fair game, but because everyones mind works differently, no ones power works exactly the same way. We can each figure out how to do the same things, but the path of discovery is unique. Like Bella and I. For some reason, I have an easier time controlling fire but she has to work on it every day to maintain the control has has over it and on the flip side, I have difficulty dealing with plants, but she's a natural with them. She could convince a willow tree to grow in the Sahara. She wouldn't because the elements would kill the tree, but you get the drift, I hope." He nods, "So, can you make like fireballs and turn people into turnips and stuff?"

I think a minute before answering, "It is possible, in theory, but I would have to figure out how to maintain a flame without fuel for it. Transfiguration and transmutation magics are more difficult. Human anatomy is more complex than a turnips, obviously, and I'd have to be able to suspend the person's active consciousness and bodily functions to be able to keep them alive and eventually return them to their human forms. I guess it can be done, but I'm centuries away from being able to do it." His head snaps up,"Centuries? You're going to live centuries?" I nod as I light a smoke, "Yeah, supposedly if we don't get stupid and blow ourselves up or get killed, we can live for centuries. No one knows exactly how long we can live, but there has never been any evidence of a witch dying of old age." "Wow! You're like Harry Potter minus the messed up lightning bolt scar!" he laughs softly, testing my mood. I growl, "Harry Potter can shove his wand where the sun don't shine. If it were as easy to learn magic as that, I think there would be a lot more of us." He holds his hands up in surrender, "I didn't mean to make you mad honey, I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit. Though it would be pretty cool to have a flying broom to get around on." I can't help but laugh this time, "Yeah, I guess it would. Then we wouldn't have to worry about everyone recognizing my car when I come to the rez and pick you up. I'd just have to hop on my broom and fly there." He starts laughing, "Can you imagine Bella on a flying broom? She'd look like a ping-pong ball bouncing off of everything!" The vision of Bella crashing into a tree and sliding down it like a cartoon pops in my head, so I tell Jake, and we both fall over howling with laughter.

I spend most of the afternoon showing Jake some of the different things I can do, explaining that Bella and I had only just mastered the basics when our parents died. I tell him that Mom had been the witch before us and how she was a natural at it, her whimsical personality perfectly matched for being a witch. He asks dozens of questions in return, never afraid of my answers. It feels so good being able to talk to someone besides my sister about it. It makes me feel almost normal even though the subject matter is anything but. He tells me stories about the tribe that involve some mysticism, like supposedly his people are descended from werewolves and how these tribal guardians are the mythical protectors of the people, defending against vampires I think he just wants to prove that I'm not the only one with a less than normal lineage. By the time I drop him off in front of his home that evening, it seems the most natural thing in the world to walk him to the door with an invisible umbrella over our heads to stay dry. When we reach the door, he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me in for a goodbye kiss. The rain blows sideways and we still get wet, but it doesn't stop us. We are so caught up in our farewell that we don't hear the door open. We a startled apart by someone coughing. "Dad!" Jake exclaims, "When did you get home?" Billy looks up at us from his wheelchair, "About 15 minutes ago. I called about an hour ago and when you didn't answer, I had one of the guys bring me home. I thought you were in the shed working on the Rabbit." He eyes me for a moment, "Don't you think you should invite.." he tries to decipher which twin I am." I bite the bullet and stick my hand out, "Carlie, sir. Good to see you again." He shakes it, "You too kiddo, now come in and get dried off before you get sick." Crap. Charlie's gonna kill me. "Yes sir." He nods and smiles,"Jake, put on a pot of coffee, she's so cold she's shaking like a leaf." Jake nods and walks into the house like a man on death row. I follow Billy into the house, waiting for the storm to boil over.

It's a small house, but it's clean and well maintained. A single arch separates the living room and kitchen. The only other exit is a hallway leading back to the bedrooms. I look around as I wait for our doom but Billy doesn't say another word until Jake hands us our coffee and sits down at the kitchen table. "So," Billy finally speaks as he sips his coffee, "You and Carlie, eh Jake? When did this happen?" Jake's gaze flashes to me then back to his dad. "Not long. I just asked her out yesterday." We both know he is lying, but I keep my face smooth. Billy nods, "Cool. When were you going to tell your old man?" Jake shrugs, "I don't really know Dad. There's a complication." His dad raises an eyebrow, "What complication is that?" I can't stand Jake taking the fall for me, so I answer, "I'm seventeen Billy, and Jake is only fifteen. Technically it's illegal for me and Jake to date right now, not to mention Charlie is a little crazy/protective of my sister and I right now and would probably skin anyone we wanted to go out with thinking that they were taking advantage of us. Don't be mad at Jake sir, I'm the one who wanted to keep things quiet to make it easier on Jake. Blame me, he was only doing as I asked." Billy looks at us both, then starts laughing, "Of all the things to be afraid of! You were afraid that Jake was going to get into trouble for seeing a pretty girl like yourself?" My face is hot as I answer. "I don't know what to say sir, I was trying to do right by Jake, and I really didn't want to end up in jail because I was dating a guy younger than me and someone got it in their head that it was statutory rape or something." Jake reaches across the table and takes my hand, "Dad, I really like her, more than any girl I've ever met. Please don't screw this up for us by calling the cops or telling Charlie. I can't help it that I'm 15 and she's 17, why should we get punished for dating like criminals?"

Billy sits quietly until I'm ready to scream out of frustration. I sit staring at my empty cup until Billy tells Jake to get me a refill. Jake's on his feet in an instant, filling all of our cups with fresh brew. When he's done, he sits at the table beside me this time and takes my hand again, rubbing it gently with his thumb. Billy finally raises his head to look at us sitting together and sighs, " I have no problem with you two seeing each other and I won't tell Charlie, but don't go off doing anything dumb, okay?" We both agree vehemently. "You're welcome over here any time Carlie, know that, so is your sister. Don't go getting yourself in trouble with Charlie though and Jake, you keep your grades up or you get grounded. Now, I'm going to go watch the news." He wheels himself back from the table and rolls into the living room with a grin on his face.

Jake pulls me to his feet and out the door. We walk to the shed where his VW is housed. "Dad's wheelchair can't make it over the bumps and ruts, so we know we're safe to talk in here," Jake explains as he opens the door of the car and offers the seat to me. I sit as he goes over to a tall toolbox and reaches into a brown paper bag. He pulls out two soda cans and returns, handing one to me. I know my face mirrors the look of relief plastered on Jake's visage. Now we have a relatively safe place to hand out other than my room and the woods. He sits on the floor, his back to me, and I run my fingers through his hair as we talk. He asks a few questions about my powers that he'd forgotten to earlier and I in turn use my abilities to clean up his workspace. When he proclaims his rear is numb from sitting on the floor, he joins me in the car and continues talking. I'm shocked when he leans his seat back as far as it will go and then pulls me on top of him. As soon as I am comfortable, he brings my face to his and presses his lips to mine fervently. At some point, something changes and our kiss becomes deeper, more passionate, and his hands that had been content up to this point just holding my face, begins to move up and down along my spine, making me shiver. A soft moan escapes me and his hands lock on my waist and pulls me tighter against him. I can feel the odd pressure as our hips collide and can't help but push into it. He suddenly notices what he'd done and breaks the kiss,"I'm so-" I cover his mouth with my hand, "Don't be, it's natural. And I like knowing that I can make you react like that with just a kiss," I whisper before removing my hand and replacing it with my lips once more. Our lips wander over each others faces, necks, only to find the others lips again. My hands trace the muscles of his chest, marveling at his physique. His thumbs are hooked through the belt loops of my jeans, his fingers splayed across my rear, occasionally massaging it.

His hands had just let loose of my belt loops and slid under the back of my shirt when my phone rang. I tried to ignore it, but Jake reached onto the other seat and lifted the phone and upon seeing who it was, pressed the button and set it against my ear. "Hello?" I did my best to make my voice level as Jake brushed his lips along my throat. "Nessie, I got a job!" it was Bella. I contemplated serious violence, "That's great, you can tell me about it when I get home in a few hours." His lips traveled to my collar bone and I could feel his tongue darting out, tasting my skin. Bella persisted, "Charlie called and said he'd be home early after all. You have 45 minutes to get your scrawny butt home." I groaned out loud. Jake misinterpreted and pulled our hips together again as he moans into my skin. "Fine, I'll be home in 45 minutes then. Bye Bella," I growled and hung up the phone. "What was that about," he mumbles against my skin. "I have to be home in 45 minutes, Charlie is getting out early to have dinner with us." My lips find his neck and begin copying what he'd been doing to me while I spoke to my sister. For the next 25 minutes, there is nothing but his lips and his hands running over my body. This is not just love. Lust has finally made an appearance. We don't cross any boundaries and our hands never touch any bare skin other than backs, arms, and faces, but the sheen of sweat both of us are covered in would make anyone believe differently. He gives me a bandanna to cover my sweat dampened hair as he walks me to the car. I put it on and he opens the car door for me. I get it tied and he gathers me in his arms for one more kiss before setting me down in the driver's seat and buckling my seat belt. "Drive safe, I love you," he says and shut the door. I light a cigarette and make my way home, still a bit lightheaded.

**I'm sorry I had to end it there, but this chapter has been my longest yet and I knew that I had to get it posted ASAP!!! I'm already working on the next chapter!!!! Edward will be involved at some point in time next chapter I promise!!!!!!!!!!!!! I also hope that some of the questions about Carlie and Bella's powers have been cleared up!!! **

**Reviews are better than getting to make out with Jacob Black all day...well, not really, but it sounded good at the time ;-)**


	12. Part 12 Love at First Sight?

**Yeah yeah, just keep rubbing it in that I don't own Twilight. Thank SM for that wonderful monster.**

**I keep begging people to leave reviews!! How hard is it??? Click the button at the bottom and type a few words!! A little goes a long way!!!! And thank you to those that have taken the time to stroke my fragile ego!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Oh, FYI. Yes the ****Cullens**** are vampires, just less moody and ****emo****. They actually fit into society quite well.**

**Part 12**

**Love at First Sight?**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

The slightly smug look on my sister's face as she walks in the door is almost laughable. She tries to look annoyed at me, but the triumph overshadows it easily. "So Carlie, how'd you spend your day?" I ask in as innocent of a voice as I can muster. She promptly raises her right hand and extends the middle finger. I laugh, "Really? I hope you're being safe. I'm too young to be an aunt." Carlie puts her hand on my cheek and shows me exactly what I'd interrupted. I smack her hand away, "TMI sis! I didn't think you were really doing that already, I was just messing with you!" I try to push the images out of my head, but they are determined to stick with me. Carlie can tell I'm having trouble banishing her thoughts and gives me an evil grin before moving past me and into the kitchen. "What's wrong Bells?" she asks, "Don't start a battle of wits when you come unarmed, it's just sad." I toss a spatula at her, "Shut up and go flip the grilled cheese sandwiches, they burn, it's your butt that's getting blamed." We don't have long to talk about our day before Charlie gets home, grumbling that he's starving. We sit down for dinner and I tell them about getting my new job, which is down at the outdoor store Mike Newton's parents own. I wanted to tell them yesterday, but hadn't gotten a chance to. They are both thrilled, now everyone has a stable income and something to keep us occupied.

Carlie helps me clean up after dinner, still caught up in her own little world. Occasionally a blush will rush across her face when she catches me looking at her. For all of my sister's bravado, she is a hopeless romantic like myself, and to see her living her own kind of fairy tale is wonderful, if not a touch bittersweet, to watch. When we're finished in the kitchen, we go up to her room where she proceeds to tell me about her revealing our secret to Jacob and how he reacted. She prickles some when I laugh over his RPG references about us. If this was the worst that happened, I was going to enjoy it. She doesn't bring up her time in Jacob's car, and neither do I. It's too embarrassing, too intimate. She qualifies that Billy had caught them kissing on his front porch and was completely at ease with their relationship, but gave the same warnings about not doing anything stupid. I had to admit that I was relieved. Carlie and Jake fit very well together and I would have been sad to discover what life would've turned into if Billy had reacted badly. We talk until she lets loose a series of big yawns and her shoulders begin drooping. Clearly her nap with Jacob hadn't refueled her completely. I say my good nights and leave my twin to her dreams of him.

I shower and climb into bed myself. As I lay there, my mind wanders through my day and replays something from earlier. I'd been on my way back from Port Angeles and was passed by 4 motorcycles going break-neck speeds. When I had gotten closer to town, I had seen the bikes again while sitting at a redlight outside of the little shopping plaza. There were people standing around the bikes. The Cullens. Then someone had walked around from the side of the building and my heart jumped into my throat. It was Edward Cullen. There was no mistaking that bronze hair. A horn blared and he looked over briefly. I swear he'd recognized me, even from that distance. It seemed that his eyes caught mine, and he smiled. I'd slammed on the gas and the tires of my truck squealed a little as the Chevy lunged forward. I had kept reviewing it in my mind. Had he smiled at me? I couldn't get passed the fact that it had felt like his eyes had locked with mine right before that crooked smile that made butterflies sprout in my stomach.

I rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling. Was it possible? Could he have not only recognized me but smiled at me when he did? I shake my head. No. Edward Cullen had acted like I was a plague carrier that single time I'd been near him. There was no frikkin way he would have smiled at me if he'd recognized me. Well, one thing I knew, he was around but hadn't been in school so I was almost positive that he'd dropped out. I never had to worry about Edward Cullen and his vicious eyes ever again. As I drifted to sleep, something bothered me, but I could place what it was.

Carlie is already awake and eating a pop-tart when I make it downstairs. She slides my coffee towards me with naught but a smile and returns to double-checking her homework. I end up miming her actions. Coffee, pop-tart, and checking homework. Charlie comes down, complaining of running late, and Carlie indicates that his mug has already been filled and he also has pop tarts wrapped in a paper towel, so he can eat them on his way. He gives us both a kiss on the forehead and wishes for a good day at school, good luck our first day of work, and not to worry about dinner, he's ordering out, before bustling off to the station. We take our own vehicles to school today, and it is a bit lonely, riding without my sister. Her smoking annoys me, but her presence is always comforting. I pull into the parking lot and see her standing in the spot next to her electric blue car, waving me towards her. Gratitude washes over me as I pull in. It's cold and she has managed to grab the two spots closest to the school entrance. She links her arm through mine as we walk. *_You nervous about starting that new job?_* she inquires. I shake my head slightly, no one would know I was answering a question *N_o, it's pretty dead this time of year they said, I won't have to worry about big rushes of customers until this summer when tourist season starts. You?_* Her head moves up and down minusculey *I_'ll be in a hospital Bells, I'm kind of afraid what I'll see. I'm nowhere close to the ER so if something really bad happens, I shouldn't see it at all, but I can't help but worry. Good thing I don't faint at the sight or smell of blood like you , eh?_* I nudge her in the ribs*N_ot funny! You know I can't help that!_* We both laugh quietly *_It could be worse Nessie_* She tilts her head and looks at me sideways*_How's that?_* *Y_ou could have ended up working at the gas station_* both of us shudder as we remember the foul creature that was the manager. He was about 400 lbs of polyester, body hair, and fake gold chains. He thought he still lived in the seventies, by the looks and sounds of it. He'd asked my sister and I on two separate occasions if we had ever considered modelling. I had to drag Carlie out both times before she put her fist through his skull. On that disturbing note, we part ways and head to class.

My morning is brought up short when I hear cheers from the other students during class. I look around to see what the commotion is about to see them all staring out the windows. I groan out loud at the sight. Instead of rain, little clumps of white are drifting down. Ick. I pull my hood up and do my best to avoid looking outside the rest of the period. Mike is waiting for me after class and keeps asking me about the look of disgust on my face as we go to our next class "Don't you like snow Bella?" he asks for the fifth time. I sigh and shake my head, "Not really Mike. It's freezing!" He looks perplexed, "But it's better than rain, right?" I shrug, "I guess so, but all it really means is that it's too cold for rain and I'm not the biggest fan of cold weather either." Before he gets a chance to answer, a slush ball hits him in the back of the head and I scurry into the building, effectively preventing myself from becoming a target. "Stupid mushy snowballs," I mutter to myself as I reach my desk and pull my book out. I spend the period tuning everyone out because they are all talking about a snowball battle in the parking lot after school that Mike is organizing. I'm going to have to try and get out of gym a little early so I can avoid it. I'm grateful to Carlie again for getting us such close parking spots.

Finally the bell rings, and I make my way to the lunch room. Everyone is groaning but me. The snow has turned back onto rain and I can't stop a smile as I walk. Jessica is groaning about having to cancel some plans over the weekend when I look across the lunchroom out of habit and freeze. Five people sit at the table. Someone nudges me, "Aren't you eating?" Jessica asks. I shake my head, "Actually I feel a little sick, I'm just going to get something to drink." I mechanically follow her to our table where the topic of conversation has once again turned to the upcoming trip to First Beach. I try to keep up, but my eyes keep traveling back to that table. The three boys are laughing and shaking their hair off in the direction of the girls and the girls are laughing but you can see hints of their annoyance too. I notice all of them have padded motorcycle jackets hanging from their chairs. They look just like the ones I saw the other day. It was them! My gaze settles on Edward. He looks different from last Monday. His cheeks are slightly flushed and his smile reaches his eyes, making them sparkle. His eyes. There is something off about them but I can't place it. He turns and looks me straight on and I can't pull away. An unspoken question is evident in the golden depths of his orbs, and I can't figure out what it is. I feel myself unconsciously beginning to lean towards him. I'm broken from my reverie as my sister crosses my vision on her daily trip outside. I grab my things and hurry out after her. I don't bother her as she talks, I just can't go back in there and be glued to that disturbing gaze again. I contemplate skipping Biology and have myself talked into doing so a dozen times before settling on at least walking to class. If he's there and still looks mad, I'll just go to the nurse and tell them I feel ill. My words to Jessica would back me up on it. I chance a look back into the lunch room, in his direction. He's not looking at me now, thank the gods. He's watching the room to with his siblings, occasionally leaning his head to the side, no doubt speaking to them.

Carlie's thoughts hit me as soon as her hand connects *What's wrong? You're white as a ghost!* I shake my head, but she isn't diverted *T_ell me what's wrong Bells, you're scaring me!_* I look at her and she is genuinely frightened. *_Edward Cullen is back in school today_* I confess. I feel her anger spike, *_If he fucks with you, I'm going to beat his brains into the sidewalk Bells. Don't worry about Edward Cullen, he's just one more asshole in a world of assholes. There is nothing special about that._* Venom drips with each word. I squeeze her hand *_I__'ll be okay Nessie, it just startled me, that's all. And no fighting, even if it's with an asshole._* *_He's in you're Biology class, isn't he?_* I nod. *_I'll walk you to Biology then, just as a precaution, okay?_* *_No, I'll be fine Nessie, I promise_* I give her the best smile I can and pat her cheek. She worries too much about me sometimes. Sometimes I think she forgets that she's the yonger sibling. Well, denial isn't just a river in Egypt. when the bell rings for class, I hastily make my way back through the cafeteria. I glimpse towards the Cullen table, but they're already gone.

Carlie meets me after class to walk me to Biology even after I forbid it. I can't tell her that I'm actually glad she ignored me, I'm too much of a chicken to walk it by myself and discover Edward Cullen glaring at me again. She links our arms together again and walks in silence, mentally and verbally. She's just there for me. She even peeks into the classroom first *He's not there sis* she gives me a peck on the cheek and sprints off after I nod in acknowledgement. I ready myself and walk in. As soon as I get to the lab table, I get my book out, making sure to keep my head down while hoping he doesn't show. I don't know if I could handle another period of being stared at with unbridled hatred. The bell rings and I let myself feel hope. It is soon crushed as I hear the stool beside me move and feel him sit down. I focus on the little patterns I'm drawing on the side of my notes as he gets his book out and drops it on the table. I jump at the sound, but studiously ignore him. Then a scent hits me, scattering my train of thought. Is that him?? Oh goodness, does he smell good. Honey, rain, and something else. Even the cigarette smell coming off of him smells delicious. I feel him lean towards me. "Hello," he says, barely above a whisper. I turn my head and am caught by those eyes. "I'm sorry for my rude behavior last week, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself. I'm Edward Cullen. You're Bella Swan, right?" He gives that crooked smile of his as I nod, dumbfounded. He chuckles lightly. "You know, you and your sister have been the talk of the town for weeks. I must admit I'm impressed." I find my voice, "Impressed? With what?" He glances at something quickly, then his eyes return to mine,"I'm impressed because for once something not only lived up to the hype, it surpassed it, though you're nothing like I thought you'd be." "What is that supposed to mean?" I ask, a bit irritated. He rolls his eyes,"That means you're appearance in this backwater town has exceeded my expectations," the tone of his voice reminds me of someone explaining things to a five year old," And, let me tell you, is a hard thing to do Bella." I decide to use some of my sister's vocabulary to answer him "Go fuck yourself Cullen." It startles him, but he recovers quickly. He just smiles and looks back to me. I look back to my paper, but I can see him out of the corner of my eye. His eyes shift, waiting for something, then his forehead creases and he looks away, looking frustrated despite his cocky smile.

A few minutes later he tries again,"Look, I didn't mean to upset you, it's just when you live in a town that goes insane with gossip when someone buys a new furniture set with their tax refund, you get used to everything being overblown. You adjust your perceptions, lower the expectations." I look up at him," Well, at least I'm higher up on your entertainment list than furniture," I reply sarcastically. He laughs,"Yeah. And I truly am sorry, my intention was never meant to offend." The sincerity is evident in his eyes and my willpower melts,"Okay Cullen, you're forgiven. This time. By the way, how did you know my name?" He laughs again," What, do you prefer Isabella?" I shake my head, "No, I prefer Bella. How did you know that? How did you know I wasn't my twin sister?" He shrugs, "I overheard some of your friends conversing and heard them refer to you as Bella. And as for how I could tell you and your twin apart? She has her nose and lip pierced, you don't. Not to mention your very different wardrobe choices, you look very nice, by the way. Besides," he gestures towards my work, "you wrote your name on your paper and didn't figure you were in the habit of writing someone else's name on your homework." I feel the heat flood my face and he suddenly turns and looks out the window. I pull my hair down, concealing my face from him, but I keep watching. He doesn't speak to me again, but does move his stool farther away a little while later and continue sneaking glances in my direction. I hear him move and I glance over briefly to see that his hands are gripping the table again like he'd fall off the edge of the world if he let go. What is wrong with him? What am I doing that's upsetting him so much? Unfortunately, every time he shifts position, his scent invades my senses, and my head spins. I'm going to have to find out what kind of cologne this boy wears and recommend it to my sister for Jacob. He would never get Carlie off of him with this stuff! When the bell rings, he is up and out of the door before the ringing stops, leaving me to look after him in amazement.

My sister is right, Edward Cullen is an asshole.

I attempt to banish all thoughts of him from my mind as I trudge towards the gymnasium. I'm halfway there when it occurs to me what was different about Edward Cullen. His eyes. They had been pitch black the first time I'd seen him and the past two times I'd encountered him, they had been almost the color of butterscotch. I promised myself to ask him about it tomorrow. It would give me a chance to annoy him for once. The thought made me smile. The problem was, was I smiling because I would be able to annoy him or was it because I would be given the chance to talk to him again? My mind shied away from that answer. I quicken my pace, suddenly eager to be distracted by gym.

Carlie grabs me as soon as I enter the locker room and my mind is flooded with questions. I firmly remove her hand, freeing my thoughts up, "Everything's fine Nessie. You were right, he is an asshole, but I don't think he'll bug me again like last week. Now, let me go change before I get in trouble." I stalk off before she can answer me. I can't help but think over what occurred during the previous hour. I was fairly certain that Edward Cullen didn't hate me, but that was all I was certain of other than I didn't like him very much. Except for his smell. And his eyes. And his hair. And his- Stop it! I snapped to myself, he's just another good looking guy who thinks that because he has the looks and the money, he can get whatever he wants. Forget about him, he's not worth the time or trouble. Besides, Charlie hates motorcycles and the people that ride them. Anyone stupid enough to ride a motorcycle isn't worth spit. I put my regular clothes in my bag and enter the gym. I still get glares from the bimbo squad, but they make sure to keep their opinions to themselves when my sister or I am doesn't bother me anymore about Biology and I'm glad. I couldn't let her see this weird fascination I've developed for Edward in such a short time. He is both infuriating and enticing and that is all the wrong mix. She would have a field day with it. Or go and pick a fight. Neither route was acceptable, so I kept my thoughts and words to myself.

Class ends without any major accidents on my part, except for nearly beheading Mike Newton with a badmitton racket, and Carlie walks to our vehicles with me. A silver Volvo is parked beside my sisters car and four people are getting into it. A fifth person wearing a heavy leather jacket is climbing onto a silver street bike. Their head looks up in our direction as I reach my truck. It's Edward on the motorcycle. He is looking right at me. He smiles. Then the bike roars to life as the Volvo pulls out, breaking my sight momentarily. When the silver car finally moves out of the way, he is gone, speeding on ahead of the Volvo. Stupid silver motorcycle driver.

Work is boring. I do my best to erase it from my head and find it amazingly easy to do so as I drive home. I just want a hot shower, something to eat, and become comatose for the next 6 1/2 hours. I pull in the driveway just as the snow starts falling again. Fighting a grimace, I race towards the house. I trip and fall on the steps, barking my shins, and Carlie throws open the front door. She steps out into the cold and helps me to my feet, mumbling something about pillows and duct tape. "When did you get home?" I ask once we're in the house. She glances at the clock, "About 15 minutes ago. Long enough to rouse a snoring Charlie off the couch and get his ass in bed. Hungry? Charlie brought home Chinese." I slip on the floor trying to get my other boot off and fall flat on my back. "I'm going to roll around here on the floor for a minute, heat me up some of whatever you're having." I'm so tired, I could fall asleep right now. It doesn't matter that I still have a boot on or that my back is screaming in pain. I just want this day to go away, and for Edward Cullen to be out of my head. "Mm-kay," she calls from the kitchen, "General Tso's good then?" I manage to toe my remaining boot off of my foot, "Sounds fine, I'll probably fall asleep in it either way. I don't know if I'm going to make it to finish my homework tonight. I got most of it done at work, but I can't decide if I want to lose the sleep now or in the morning." Ah, boots are off. Now I just have to find the energy to get off the floor. I feel myself being righted. "Thanks Nessie." "No problem, now get your ass in here and eat before it gets cold and I have to nuke it again." her voice sounds as tired as I feel. I get to my feet and am immediately met with a floating plate covered in food. I grab it and sit down beside my sister. We don't talk while we eat, it would consume too much energy. I'd forgotten how hard it was to go to school, work a full shift, then come home and do homework. The coffee pot is about to become my best friend. I sigh as I remember my dad saying the exact same thing the day Carlie and I turned sixteen and Mom had announced that we were officially allowed to date.

I put our dishes in the sink while Carlie puts away the leftovers and we wrap our arms around each other as we walk up the stairs, using the other for support. We brush our hair and teeth, say goodnight, and shuffle off to bed. I am conscious long enough to reset my alarm for an hour earlier than my usual time. I don't even get a chance to change into my pj's or climb under the blankets.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The incessantly annoying alarm must die. I gather my will, preparing to launch it out the window when I realize that turning the clock into a Frisbee is not an option- I would have to open the window first and it is too cold for that. With a groan, I throw the covers off, push myself into a sitting position and shut the alarm off with the wave of a hand. I hate mornings. I slide my slippers on and stumble to the bathroom to get a shower. It takes 20 minutes and all of the hot water to wake up, but I finally win the battle, I am conscious. After getting dressed, I go down and start the coffee pot and drag out my homework. I toss the books on the table but I refuse to look at them until I have a full mug in hand. Carlie slumps in 10 minutes later and copies my actions, backpack thrown on table, trek to coffee pot, retrieve coffee, stagger to table, fall down while hoping the chair catches your butt before you hit the floor. We wake up more as we finish our homework, eventually talking quietly about each others assignments. By the time Charlie comes in, our homework is done and breakfast is ready. Carlie goes outside to smoke and lets out a hiss. The snow that had begun last night had continued to fall. Everything was covered in a few inches. What's worse is the rain from yesterday had frozen to everything. Charlie asks us if he should drive us to school at which both of us vehemently protest, then assure him of our safety. He grumbles, but accepts our decision. After he pulls out, Carlie leans against me and admits this is a day she would be glad to have my heavy truck. I offer to drive ahead of her, clearing a path and protecting her in case there is an accident. With my truck, it would be easy to walk away from a collision, that Eclipse of hers stood no chance. She agrees and starts getting ready to leave. I almost wanted her to take the truck, in case she wanted to take it to work after school. I didn't work tonight. We had already set up our work schedules and had them approved by our new bosses. I worked Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. She worked Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Charlie was only left to fend for himself once a week. As sad as it may sound, that one day alone worried and relieved me.

Luck is with us and we have no real issues getting to school. Because of my insistence that we leave earlier than normal to better foresee any travel problems, we get to school on time. We drive into the lot and make for the open spaces nearest the school again, when a silver car shoots passed us and into the first space. Edward fucking Cullen and his band of lunatic siblings. I pull in two down, leaving the space between my truck and the Volvo open for Carlie. She is out of the car in a flash, racing towards Edward, who is exiting the driver's side of the car, and screaming ever foul word she's ever heard. I swear she may have made a few of them up as she went. Edward is just looking at her, a look of outright amusement on his face. I race to get a hold on my sister, and I'm almost to her when I slip. Strong hands catch me before I can smash my head off of the Volvo. An electric current is flowing through my arm where I am being held. "You really need a few lessons in agility Bella," his velvet voice soft against my ear and his scent overwhelming me. I then realize he is holding me close to his chest and suddenly I get very warm," Oh, and does your sister ever shut up? If I wanted to deal with Screaming Bitch Syndrome this early in the morning, I'd provoke one of my sisters." I glare at him, but the words that I had disappear when I look into his eyes again. It seems like we stand there forever, until my head starts to spin. He gives a soft chortle and breathes into my ear again,"Breathe Bella." I comply. He lets me go and walks after his siblings, ignoring my sister's rant completely. "He's such an ass. Are you alright?" Carlie asks. I tear my gaze from his retreating form, his bronze hair dancing in the wind. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's a good thing he caught me or I'd be owing him a new car." She grabs my arm and drags me beside her, muttering about chainsaws, gasoline, Volvos, and YouTube. I don't even try to make sense of it.

I find myself looking for Edward as I go about my day, but am always left wanting. I really wanted to tell him off over what he'd said about my sister, no matter how funny I thought it was. By lunch time, I've almost convince myself that I am going to march up to his table and demand that he come outside to speak with me alone. He did pull an underhanded stunt in the parking lot, he could've caused an accident, and then he called my sister a bitch. As soon as I walk into the cafeteria and see him, my resolve dies. I stop in the lunch line long enough to buy a soda before marching passed his table and outside, keeping my gaze firmly on the floor in front of me. I walk around the side of the building that is protected from the wind.

Once I am far enough out of sight, I toss my bag down, fall against the wall and slide down it until I am resting on it. I pull my hood up and open my soda. My hands are too cold and it slips out of my hand and starts rolling away. Just as I move to chase it, a black boot stops it. A pale hand picks it up and opens it before offering it to me. I take it and follow the arm back until I see their face. My heart jumps. Edward. Of course. I can't find him when I want to talk to him, but he shows up when I'm trying to avoid him. That crooked smile appears on his face and it dawns on me that I'm staring. I let my eyes fall away from his face,"Uh, thanks." He shrugs and leans against the wall beside me, "Not a problem. "

He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a cigarette pack. He pulls one out and offers it to me with a questioning look. I shake my head and he puts the end in his mouth. "Yeah, it's probably for the best. These things'll kill you,' he laughs as he produces as silver lighter and lights the lips are nice. I wonder what they taste like. My ears burn at the thought and I push it away."Aren't you eating lunch today Bella?" he asks after a few minutes of silence. "No, not hungry," I qualify, "Not a big fan of meatloaf surprise anyways. I swear it's made of roadkill." I chuckle at my feeble joke, "I could ask you the same thing Cullen, but I figure I know why you're out here. Last I heard, the cafeteria didn't have a smoking section." He laughs at that one. His eyes are on me again with that same look of confusion and expectancy. After a moment he glances away, "I'm not big on school food period. It fucks you up." Has his skin always been so pale and smooth? Those eyes so penetrating it's like he's looking into your soul?

"So, how are you liking Forks?" his voice pulls me back to reality. I make a face,"Not a big fan of this stuff," I point to the snow," But it is a step up from rain, until it melts in your boots." He nods solemnly, "So why did you move to this backwater place then? Parents wanted to make sure you stayed white and pasty?" My head drops and I focus on my hands, "No, my parents are dead. We came to live with our uncle." He's kneeling beside me in an instant," Oh shit Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" "It's okay, really. You didn't know so how could you have curbed your asshole tendencies away from that statement?"I feel his hand on my shoulder, turning me towards him. He waits until I look at him, "No, it's not okay Bella. I shouldn't have been so insensitive. There were rumors that your parents were in an accident, but-" I raise my hand,"And that's exactly why it's not your fault. You don't pay attention to rumors and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Now, can you be an ass about something else? I don't want to talk about my parents." He sighs,"Well, has your sister recovered from her bout of Screaming Bitch Syndrome yet?" I shrug, "I'm not a doctor, I wouldn't be able to say for sure. Your adoptive dad is a doctor right? You'd have a better idea of her prognosis than me." He nods, "If I had to give a semi-professional opinion, I'd have to say you're sister is fucked. Screaming Bitch Syndrome is incurable. Once you're infected, you've got it for life. Problem is, once a female has this disease, she is able to infect every female within 10 square miles." I chuckle at his "prognosis". "Well, I guess that means I'm a goner too, she is my twin sister after all." He looks at me sideways and gives a grim nod, "I'm sorry to have to tell you this Miss Swan, but you have Screaming Bitch Syndrome and I'm afraid it's terminal." He puts on his best 'I'm sorry' look and pretends to look forlorn. I smack his arm," You really are an asshole Cullen." He smiles brightly," One does ones best." He gets to his feet and offers me a hand that is now gloved. I take it and he gently pulls me to my feet. "See you in class Bella," he waves and starts walking in the direction of the parking lot. I make it to the doors just as the bell rings.

I'm a little apprehensive when it's time for Biology. I don't know which Edward I'll be having to deal with. The almost nice Edward or the Edward I just want to slap repeatedly for being a jerk. I have my answer soon enough. He's already in his seat when I walk in, his feet propped up on the bottom rung of my stool. I stop and look down at his feet. He pretends to ignore me. I grab the stool and attempt to move it, he hooks his foot and pulls it closer to him."Let go of my seat Cullen," I state, pulling on my chair again. He smiles, but doesn't relinquish, "Say the magic word Bella." he taunts. I put my bag on the table before tugging on the seat, "Come on Cullen, don't be a jerk, just give it to me." His smiles grow bigger. He raises a hand and lifts his index finger then waves it from side to side, "Tsk, tsk, Bella. All I ask is that you say the magic word and you can have your stool back, no need to be a bitch about it." "Go fuck yourself Cullen."I gather my will and release it as I yank on my chair. His foot flies off and the stool crashes into me, almost knocking me down. Edward's eyes are wide with awe as I adjust my seat and sit down, an evil grin stuck on my face. Thankfully the teacher, a substitute, begins class before Edward has a chance to question me further.

10 minutes left of class and the sub has to step out. Everyone in the room starts talking in hushed voices."How did you do that Bella?" Edward whispers. I pretend not to know,"What are you babbling about Cullen?" He tilts his head,"Don't bullshit me Bella. You're not exactly a body builder. How did you get your chair from under my feet?" I give a disgusted sigh and look at him," Edward, I don't know what kind of dream world you live in, but you don't always get what you want. I got my chair back, it's not like I lifted a skyscraper or anything." He shakes his head,"I was holding that thing down with all my strength, there's no way you could have just yanked it loose!" "So you're not as strong as you thought you were Cullen, get over it and move on." I growl as the sub reenters the room. When the bell rings, he doesn't rush off, instead, he follows me, "Come on Bella, I was messing around with you and you're the one that got all pissy and damn near killed yourself with a chair," he argues," I just want to know what trick you used to twist my feet off, no big deal." "Leave me alone Cullen. Come back when you're not in asshole mode and then I might consider talking to you." He stops in mid-stride,"Fine. Later then." He waits until I nod before walking off, his angry pace more fluid than a dancer's. What the hell is going on with him? I storm off to gym, ignoring the thunderous expression on my sister's face as I enter the locker room.

This boy is infuriating! I stomp my foot on the gym floor. Everytime he gets under my skin I feel like breaking something. His face sounds good about now or maybe I should ask Carlie about her earlier ideas involving his car. Guys get really upset when you mess with their ride. A grin sneak across my face. Maybe I should mess with his car, teach him to mess with Bella Swan. Carlie Swan isn't the only twin with a backbone! I devise my plan while avoiding my death by badmitton. I wouldn't need to touch his car to mess with it. Paint splotches came to mind along with draining the fuel tank, those were easy and impossible to pin on someone. And no one got hurt. A little, well, a lot mad, but no physical harm to the person. Yeah, Edward Cullen was going to regret messing with this girl. As soon as gym is over, I grab Nessie and move us as fast as I can to the parking lot, explaining my plans as we go. Before we even make it, our plan is already in action, so by the time we make it down the steps, the gasps have already begun. We make the last turn on the steps and onto the pavement.

There is not a speck of silver left on the Volvo. It looks like a paint store vomited on it. The fuel had already been divvied up between our tanks, so we didn't have to worry about fire or anything. Carlie and I simply stood by our vehicles and waited for the Cullens to witness the violation of their car. It was so worth it as soon as I see Edward's face, eyes glued to his ruined car. He grabs the door handle, throws open the door, and lets out an agonized moan. It had been painted inside and out. I wink at Carlie and get in the truck. We both give Edward a wave as we drive by and his expression turns black. I fight the urge to hit the gas petal as hard as I can, because the logic part of me knows that he cannot know it was us. We would never have had the time to rinse off all the paint from our bodies and he knows it. The only one laughing among the Cullens is the big one, Emmett. Take that, stupid shiny Volvo driver.

I buy groceries on the way home and stop at a new bookstore, their selection is much better than the library. I'm still flying high over me and Carlie's little prank when I get home. I carry the groceries in and manage to stay upright while doing so. Charlie calls while I'm making dinner, stating with regret that he's going to be held over until at least ten. I placate him to stay and do his job. A night on my own, no distractions. Nice. I do homework while I eat. I wash the dishes and do laundry. I'm showered and in my sweats and hoodie, preparing to snuggle up with a good book, when there's a knock on the door. I heave myself off of the couch and stomp to the door. I unlock the dead bolt and swing it open.

On my front porch stands Edward Cullen, looking like a pagan god of old.

"I apologize for the unannounced visit, Bella, but may I come in for a few minutes?" he utters in an oddly humble voice. I stand back to give him room and motion with my hand for him to enter. as he steps passed me, I catch that wonderful smell again. My eyes begin to close as I take in the tantalizing aroma. Then its gone. I shut the door,"Would you like a cup of coffee Cullen?" I ask as I walk towards the kitchen. "Absolutely, it's freezing outside," is his reply. I hear his boots on the hard wood as he follows. I pour us both a mug, "Do you take anything? Milk? Sugar?" He shakes his head,"No thanks, black is fine." I hand him his cup and sit down at the table. He takes the seat across from me, cradling his coffee in both hands. He doesn't speak at first, it looks like it a few times, but seems to change his mind. I wait, whatever it is must be important if he is giving it this much thought. I end up filling our cups again, watching him wrestle with this enigma. I find myself memorized with his little movements. The way he keeps running his hands through his hair, how his lips repeatedly purse together while he is in deep thought. His golden eyes framed with thick, long lashes that anyone would kill to have. How muscular his torso is under his jacket. He pulls out a pack of cigarettes and his eyes ask the question. I nod, open the window nearest him, and retrieve and ashtray from under the sink. Then I return to sitting, watching, and waiting.

Finally I look at the clock 7:45, I'd been watching him for over an hour! I clear my throat, "Um, Edward, do-" "You're not just any little human, are you Bella?" his sudden question makes me jump. "What do you mean Cullen?" I take a sip of my coffee. He finally looks up from his coffee,"What you did today wasn't possible. There is no way in hell that you, a little, fragile girl, could have moved me, and yet you did. I felt it too. I felt my feet be lifted up and tossed aside, but nothing was there to do so. I've never experienced anything like that in my life!" He leans closer, "You have to tell me Bella, please. I have been wracking my brain all day to find a logical explanation and have yet to find a single thing that makes sense. And then the stunt with the car.." his voice trails off, his buttery orbs pleading for an answer. I straighten myself, I hadn't noticed that I had been leaning back towards him until then, "What do you mean by that Cullen? Are you trying to get me to admit to vandalizing your car? I was nowhere near it, and neither was my sister!" my voice climbs a few octaves,"How dare you come into my house and start throwing accusations Edward Cullen!!! Just because I won't bow down to your whims and give in and tell you everything you want does not give you the right to come here and pull this, this shit!" I can feel my will starting to collect, a defensive response to feeling threatened. I swear he can feel it too because he looks...frightened.

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly while letting my will recede. He relaxes as it dissipates. When the last touches of my power extinguishes,my shield pulled tight again, he looks at me, "That is what I'm talking about. I can feel it every time you.. I don't know how to explain it! This is maddening!" I reach out and touch his hand. It's cold and that spark jumps between us again, but I ignore both, "Edward, please just forget it. Let's just go back to Edward Cullen, asshole, and Bella Swan, shy annoying person." He is thinking again, I can see it in his eyes, then he closes his eyes an exhales. His breath is cold as it washes over my face, I fight the urge to lean closer. "I'm sorry Bella, but I can't. I have to figure you out," he whispers, "It has consumed me in a way nothing else has ever come close to doing. I don't know why, but you are such a goddamn enigma to me. Until I met you, I would have sworn I had the entire fucking human race figured out. People as a whole are stupid, cruel, vile creatures with little sight beyond their trivial material gains. But _you_," he raises his face to mine again, " You fascinate me because you break the mold. You never do as I expect." I pull my hand away as I stand, "I fascinate you? Is that why you have been acting like such a jackass? Here you are, begging to get to know me, basically study me like I am some kind of science experiment, and you fully expect me to let you do it!!! Who in the fuck do you think I am Edward?!!! I'm not some guinea pig to be studied in a damn laboratory!" I am screaming less than four inches from his face at this point, "You'd better learn something real quick Cullen, **I. AM. NOT. A. FUCKING. EXPERIMENT. FOR. YOU. TO. STUDY****.**" I exaggerate each word, making him flinch each time.

Then the unspeakable happens. One second, I'm standing over him, out of breath from screaming, and the next, I'm in his arms being kissed very aggressively. I vaguely remember looking for my willpower and not caring that I couldn't find it. His lips are hard and cold against mine, yet the flames erupting in me are anything but. I don't want to push him away, I feel my arms wrap around him and pull him closer. He's gripping me so hard that it hurts, but I like it. I want more. He growls softly into my mouth and suddenly, I hear his thoughts. *T_his is wrong, but I can't resist. I must not harm her. But her blood calls to me. I have to resist. She means too much to lose her...I need to pull away.....she tastes so good_* But he doesn't stop. I can feel his hunger building, a hunger of both lust and something else...my blood. He hungers for my blood. *_I need he_r* his thoughts bleed through again *I_ need her so fucking badly. Watching her these days have been torture. Hell could not think of a worse torment.._* I pull my face away. He looks at me, a look of hurt and surprise crosses his face. I reach out with my mind, opening my shield just a sliver *_Can you hear me?_* I ask. His eyes grow wide, but he nods.*_You're not human are you?_* A shake of the head. *_What are you_?* He smiles,"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." *_Kiss me again and I'll think about it_* He smiles that crooked smile and shakes his head,"You have to ask me out loud. I want to hear you ask me to kiss you Bella Swan." Anger flares in me. He's fighting for control again."I'm not your lapdog Cullen, I'm not going to beg, now let me go." I snap and try to twist out of his arms. He squeezes me tighter," No. I only want to hear out loud what you said with your mind. No more, no less. I'm not asking you to beg Bella. I just want to hear it out loud. Stop squirming before you hurt yourself." I laugh, "I'm not worried about me Cullen, I'm worried about hurting you, but I'm caring less and less every second you refuse to release me." He lets his arms fall."Edward," he mutters. "What?" I ask. "Please Bella, my name is Edward. I fucking hate it when you call me by my surname."

"I'm confused." I pick up my coffee and take a drink," You act like a jerk, barge into my house demanding answers, tell me that you've practically been stalking me for a week, and now you're upset because I call you by your last name?" He nods slowly,"Yes, I would prefer it if you called me by my given name." A frustrated sigh escapes me as I rub my face."Edward fucking Cullen. You are unbelievable." His only answer is the most beautiful smile in the world. He stands and walks over to me, coming closer until my hands are on his chest."Bella," he breathes my name,"Please." His head lowers a bit. "Please what Cullen?" "Please, call me by my," his head lowers even more,"Name," his lips tremble against mine as he speaks. His name is a breathless sigh as it rolls off of my tongue,"Edward." And he is kissing me again. I feel myself being picked up off the ground, but he doesn't break the kiss. I barely register the fact that he is laying me down on my bed. All I can think about is his lips on mine, his right hand on my face, his left on my hip. For hours we just lay there in a tangled heap, letting our lips battle for dominance, for recognition, to be even closer together than they are now. I keep myself shielded from him, protecting him from the evidently overpowering smell of my blood. At one point, I am able to freely see his mind again. *_I love this frail, human girl. How is that possible?_* he is asking himself. He loves me? Wow. I don't know what he seen in the past week while watching me, but whatever it was, I'm really glad for it right now. I'm wrapped in the arms of a god that loves me, is afraid of me, is frustrated and furious with me.

Then he's gone.

I sit up on the bed, trying to see through the darkness,*_Edward?_* I reach out with my mind. *_I'm here, lie down, your uncle is coming to check on you_*he answers. I scurry under the blankets and relax my body. My body is on fire right now, I don't know how I'll hide it if Charlie turns on the hall light before opening the door. Then I hear him on the stairs. No light appears under the door, even as it opens slightly and Charlie pokes his head in. I peer at him through my eyelashes while keeping my breath even. He stays only a minute, whispering "Love you kiddo" as he shuts the door. I listen to his retreat. As soon as the door to the basement closes, I'm in his cold embrace again. *_Can you hear me?_* I let the thought drift out. He nods*_Of course I can, when you let me...can you hear me?_* I stifle a giggle*_Yes, I can hear you_.* His lips press against my temple*_What are you laughing at Bella?_* I snuggle closer to him, * _I can't tell you, you'll be mad*_ He kisses my jaw*_Bullshit. Tell me._* I sigh at the touch of his lips*_I had a stupid __tv__ commercial pop up in my head, that's all_* I show him and it's his turn to laugh *_Gee, thanks Bella, I've just lost 50 points to my IQ_* I snort*_Now that's bullshit. You were already in the negatives_.* He chuckles with me then sighs*_We shouldn't be doing this._* *_What do you mean?_* Fear starts creeping along my peripheral. *_We shouldn't be like this_*his arms tighten around me*_It's wrong. I'm too dangerous.* I move to pull his arms away. He resists momentarily, then lets me sit up. I will a single candle alight and he gasps"How did you do that?" he demands. "I'm complicated Edward, every bit as much as you are." I admit in a low voice. "I can't change what or who I am any more than you can so don't suddenly decide that this is wrong and crap and you go running off. I'm not interested in self pity and bullshit. I want something real. You are real to me, attitude problem and all. So, before you say anything else, realize you only get on shot with me. I don't do bipolar romances. I don't pretend to know what you are and frankly, after tonight, I don't care. Can't you be a fucking grown up and do the same thing?" I feel tears building and wipe them away with an angry swipe. He rises until we are eye to eye," Bella, I don't even know what this is. I've never, in my entire fucking existence, believed that these kind of emotions even existed so I'm sorry if I'm just a little overwhelmed. If I could just figure you out Bella..." "Fine, you want to figure me out huh?" "More than anything else in this world Isabella." "Get ready, I heard this can be a bit of a head rush," I place my hands on the side of his head. "What are you going to do Bella?" his voice becoming anxious. "I'm going to let you in my mind. Don't try to tamper or I'll skull fuck you til you're nothing but a drooling vegetable, got it?" "Yes, but are you sure?" I nod and close my eyes,"Try not to....scream." And I throw open the doors of my mind._

It's two solid hours after I closed my mind off from Edward before he moves a millimeter. When he does, it's to scoop me up into his arms and cover me with kisses between thank you's and I love you's. "Now you know me Edward, is that enough?" I ask when my lips are finally free enough to do so. He laughs and presses his lips against my head, "Yes and no. Yes, it's enough to know you, but no because I want to know know you. Not just from memories. To sit and talk and be together like a normal couple." "What about you Edward?" Aren't you going to spill your secrets to me now?" He smiles,"Yes, I will, but not tonight. You need your rest. Sleep, beautiful angel." He lays down beside me and begins humming and unfamiliar tune. It makes me sleepy immediately, but I force myself to ask a question before oblivion takes me."Edward?" "Yes love?" his breath tickles my ear. "We'll be enemies again at school tomorrow, won't we?" He sighs and presses his lips against the hollow beneath my ear, "That, my dearest Bella, is a more complicated thing than you and I put together. But we will have this, every night, if you wish it. Please say you wish it angel." I sigh and snuggle deeper into his embrace,"Yes, I wish it very much Edward." Now I know what Carlie feels like. Will I have the strength to hide this new found connection from the world? If my insane younger twin can, then I must be able to. Edward begins humming again and sleep overtakes me.

**OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TIME TO TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE STORY SO FAR!!!!!!!!!! AND BEFORE ANYONE THROWS A FIT ABOUT PEOPLE FALLING IN LOVE TOO FAST PLEASE REALIZE THAT I BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT BECAUSE I HAVE AND AM LIVING IT!!!!!!!**

**REVIEWS ARE ALMOST AS GOOD AS HAVING EDWARD HUMMING YOU TO SLEEP AT NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	13. Part 13 It's Complicated

**I own nothing Twilight or anything of the copyrighted material or objects I make references to or talk about. I'm just a fan and have no intentions of claiming any of it as my own!!!!!!!**

**For those that do not like how I am portraying the characters....THIS IS FAN FICTION. If I wanted the exact same characters I would just go read Twilight again and let me tell you, I've read the entire Twilight Saga 13 times, I love it! I'm not trying to be a bitch, but I really like my story and refuse to be ashamed of what I have written. Please don't get mad when I say that if you don't like people changing the characters and/or storyline then maybe reading fan fiction is not for you. Just my opinion. All I ask is for you to do do what everyone does when they read, suspend reality and simply enjoy the story as it unfolds.**

**I will shut up on my personal rant now and get back to what you people came here for. Thank you to everyone who has stopped and read my story. Please review!!!!!!!!**

**Part 13**

**It's Complicated.**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

As I sit on the bed, staring out the window that Edward just jumped out of, my mind finally grasps what him and I had spent the previous two hours discussing, and what the talk had turned into. My new boyfriend was a vampire. Not like Dracula or Lestat or any of the other fictional creatures that had sprung to mind. Their species didn't turn into dust when the sun came up and they didn't sleep in coffins. They didn't sleep at all actually. He had told me he missed dreaming. When I had found out that he had stayed all night just to watch me sleep and dream, I had thrown myself from the bed and into his cold embrace.

_**(flashback)**_

As consciousness seeped into my mind, so did the events of last night. Or was it all part of my wonderful dream where Edward Cullen had spent half of the night proclaiming his love for me? I roll onto my back and run my fingers through my hair, dreading the day if all of it had been nothing but an intricate fantasy. How would I be able to look him in the eye? I notice that the sun hasn't come up yet and wish for sleep to take me again.

"Do you realize how breathtaking you are Bella?" a velvet voice asks,"I couldn't stay away. I had to come back to you, even if it was to watch you sleep, watch you dream. Makes me miss being able to dream." My eyes shoot open as I sit up. And there he was. I leaped from the bed and into his arms,"Oh Edward! I thought I'd dreamt it!" I kiss his jawline, the only spot I can reach. He chuckles, "Enthusiastic, fragile little human, you cannot even fathom how you tempt death every time you're near me." He kisses the top of my head and takes in my confused reaction to his words. Then I remember I hadn't brushed my teeth yet. I cover my mouth,"I'll be right back, don't go anywhere. Promise!" I mumble from behind my hand. He nods,"I swear I will be here when you return." I get up and he gives me a firm swat on my rump as I race to the bathroom.

I brush my teeth and attempt to tame the rat's nest that is my hair before rushing back to him. I let out a sigh of relief as I see him still sitting in my antique rocking chair. He lifts his arms and gives me my favorite smile, an invitation to return. I accept and his is wrapping me in my blanket as he draws me to him. I kiss him firmly before settling back down into his arms. He looks at my hair, "What the hell happened to your hair? I was enjoying the haystack look!" I blush, which causes more laughter."Why do you say I tempt death every time I'm near you?" I ask in a small voice. His guffaws subside and he rubs his hand up and down my back, "Well, you showed me yours, I guess it's time I showed you mine," his voice grows sad, "I am, well, it's complicated love. I'm not human, haven't been in a long time. And you, beautiful, clumsy, silly girl, are in more danger from what I am than anyone, besides your sister, in the entire world, because you smell so good that sometimes it takes everything that I am from taking you and giving in to my nature." "Your nature?" I see the sadness has reached his eyes. He nods,"Yeah, your blood to me is what a bag of heroin left on the street is to a junkie. Irresistible." A shiver runs through me,"So, are you saying that I'm your addiction Edward? Your brand of heroin?" He kisses me just long enough to make my blood boil,"Yes, that is exactly what I'm trying to tell you." His eyes plead for understanding and yet hope I reject all of this and run away."I'm not going anywhere Edward, even if,"I wait until I am sure,"even if you are a vampire. I am falling in love with you and I'm not afraid of you." What other explanation could there be for him wanting my blood? He smiles and shakes his head,"I will never cease being amazed at how you never do anything I ever fucking expect you to."

He explains his life as a vampire and the issues that come with it. It is revealed that he can hear everyone's thoughts except Carlie's and mine and how frustrating that is for him. That is what helped draw him to me, I was an enigma. He begs me to let him tell his adpotive father, Carlisle, about my sister and my existence. They'd never encountered witches like us before. I told him that I would have to talk to my sister about it first and he grudginly agreed. Then we talked about keeping our distance at school, for now. Being that his whole family were vampires, they needed a little time to get used to the fact that his girlfriend was human. I'd just gawked in amazement when he'd said the word 'girlfriend'. I was quiet so long that he'd begun backpedaling, saying that it didn't have to be like that if i didn't want it to be, I'd interrupted him with a kiss. He didn't argue with me after that.

I'd apologized to him for the destruction of his Volvo. He had thought it salvageable until he had found paint in the engine too. "You must have something against Volvo's love,"he said,"The damn car is nothing but a pile of rainbow scraps now." I'd denied having any real issues concerning the car, I'd just been so angry with his attitude and the awful things that had been said."But seriously, since you killed my car, what do you think I should get to replace it?" he inquired, a mischievous sparkle in his amber eyes. I shrugged, " I don't know. You don't seem like the kind of guy who drives safe looking cars. That Volvo wasn't you at all, if you want to know my thoughts on it." More laughter, "I loved that car, Carlisle had bought it for me when we'd moved here two years ago. He didn't want me driving the Vanquish around all the time and drawing attention, but you still haven't answered my question." I run my fingers through his hair, making his eyes close, "I can't tell you because I don't know what you'd like, that's all." I give a slight tug to his locks and a moan rattles out of his chest. When his eyes open to look at me, they are dark, but not with a hunger for food. I pull again and he growls," If you have any sense of self preservation, you wouldn't do it again love." I run my fingers through his bronze mane again and just before I let go, I latch hold of his hair and yank, hard.

He growls, throws me out of his lap and onto the bed and before I have a chance to be hurt or upset, he's lying on top of me, claiming my lips for his own once again. My hands are once again in his hair and I wrap one of my legs around his, pulling him closer to me. He rubs his pelvis against mine in a circular motion, making my body quiver and flush at the new sensation. His hand moves along my side and I feel a tug, then hear fabric tearing. I just sigh as the remnants of my shirt are pulled away and feel his icy skin against my own. Instinctively, I will the area warmer and his moans into my mouth, "Warm my skin instead love, I don't want you to get hurt." I comply and as I warm his body, his lips move from my mouth and trails down to my aching peaks. He kisses all over, avoiding where the throb is the worst. As he kisses and licks, the hand not holding my breast dances it's way down my body, eventually to my thigh. His fingers leave lines of fire on my skin and my hips twitch involuntarily. He laughs softly at my reaction, but doesn't cease his exploration of my body. His breathing is ragged, and I'm too excited to be embarrassed over the thought that he could no doubt smell my arousal. His fingers brush the hem of my panties through my sweats and my breath catches in my my throat. He doesn't stop his movements, his hand moving back at forth right at the hem. "Why are-' I begin to ask. "This will help me become desensitized to your scent, making it easier not to....hurt you." He replies so softly I barely hear his voice.

The torment becomes too great and I buck my hips against his body as I moan softly. "Shh, you must be quiet angel," his lips tremble against my stomach as he lowers himself. I feel his lips against my navel, then kissing along the top of my underwear as he pulls off my sweats in one swift movement. "You smell so good Isabella," he whipsers in that velvet voice and I feel and hear my panties be torn to shreds. Suddenly I am naked and my entire body is being touched and kissed from head to toe. He never loses control or increases his speed, no matter how much I beg or plead for relief. Edward simply tells me to be patient and returns to memorizing every curve with his lips, fingers, and eyes. After what seems like an eternity, he turns me onto my stomach and begins the process anew. I have to bite my hand to stay quiet while he is kissing, touching, tasting everywhere. I make multiple attempts to make it known I am welcome to more interactive things, but he laughs and tells me if he can control himself it should be easy for me to control my human hormones better. He stays fully dressed the entire time and I have enough clarity to ask again why he is tormenting me. He again explains about his desensitizing, then adds "I'm not trying to torture you, per say, my little Bella, I just want to commit every part of you to memory so when we are apart, I have at least that this to keep me company. I never want to forget a single thing about you Bella and you know I always get what I want." never removing his lips from my back as he speaks. I called him a jerk, but he just laughed and kept going. He's avoided contact with the most sensitive parts of my body, but in some way, it feels like he was making love to me.

Then he turns me over again and his lips are back on mine. I love the feel of his body molding to mine, even if his clothes have to be in the way. I briefly consider willing his clothes away, but realize that it was better this way. We had all the time in the world to reach that level of intimacy, so I just let myself enjoy the here and now. I'm startled when my alarm starts it's annoying beeping and Edward laughs as he pulls away and covers me with the blanket. I wave the alarm off and grab his arm, "Don't go," my voice husky and thick with lust. He leans down and kisses me once last time, "I must go Bella. You're sister is waking up and you have to get ready for school. Trust me, if I could, I would take you somewhere that no one could ever steal you away from me and never let you put another stitch of clothing on again just so my eyes could feast on you forever. But I know you're sister and uncle would miss you and I couldn't hurt them because it would hurt you. I love you, my angel, my Bella, so please be patient, we have plenty time." He presses his lips against my forehead and walk over to the window where he opens it in one movement, winks at me, and disappears out of it in another.

(end flashback)

"Bells, you up yet?" Carlie's voice tears me from my reverie. "Yeah, give me a sec," I answer as I hop up, regretting the fact that I must put clothes back on, and pull on my outfit for the day. I throw open the door to see Carlie's giant smirk, "What's got you looking like the cat that ate the canary?" I inquire as I walk to the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth again. She shrugs, "I can't wait to see Cullen's face today. He'll never be able to prove that it was us and I'm going to die laughing watching him trying to figure it out. This shit is fun! What do we do next to torment Assward Cullen?" I put my head down and focus on brushing my teeth, " I dunno," I mumble, "Maybe we should give it a few days and let things settle. I don't want to push it and get caught." I add the last sentence because of her sharp glare. The look softens and the smile returns, "You're probably right. That's why you're the responsible sister and I'm the screw up though, right?" I just nod and try to avoid looking at her face. Edward would be ticked if we turned around and pulled another stunt like that after what happened last night and this morning.

I can't bring myself to tell my twin about Edward yet. She needs time to calm down and become more reasonable first. I'm going to have to explain that to Edward too, when I get a chance, so he doesn't think I'm avoiding anything. We eat breakfast and go to our vehicles to begin the trek to school. I open my truck door to see a little white velvet box with a blue bow sitting on the driver's seat. A little tag on it reads simply 'My Angel'. I open it and nestled in ivory velvet, is a silver chain bracelet with little hearts dangling from it, one a blue crystal, the other clear, alternating around the entire chain. I carefully slide it on my wrist and start the truck.

This morning we beat the Cullen's to school and claim the parking spots. Carlie sits in her car smoking and going over homework, I am leaning against the tailgate of my truck, inspecting my new bracelet when Edward's thoughts scream in my mind _*Bella! Move!*_ I hear a screeching sound and look up, but it's too late. A van is sliding at me sideways with lethal velocity. My mind freezes so I can't even move to cover my eyes let alone move to safety. I feel something hard hit me, but not from the direction I'd been expecting. My head collides with the pavement, making me see spots and my head spin as I hear a collision of metal. I sense the now familiar current running across my skin. I feel my body pulled again across the freezing ground and hear another twisting metallic crunch. I hear his voice whispering,"Bella! Are you alright love?"his voice is scary calm and frantic at the same time."It's cold Edward," I whimper and hear a soft chuckle of disbelief."I have to go but I'll be close angel." And his presence is gone. I open my eyes and I'm alone, half-hidden under the bed of my truck. My torso was under the left side of the truck but my legs were sticking out. Above me and towards the right are the mangled remnants of my truck bed and another vehicle, it's so close that I can't even lift my head. I am pinned but I can breathe. I hear people screaming and a hand grabs me as a body falls against my legs. "Bella!" Carlie is crying," Bella, can you hear me? You're going to be okay." I squeeze her trembling hand and swallow my own panic,"I'm okay Nessie, I think." I can hear my own fright,"I hit my head Nessie, but it doesn't feel like it's too bad. Don't let me go sis."My voice cracks at the end, the tears breaking through. "I'll never let go of you Isabella, I promise, they're going to get you out and you are going to be okay," she sobs, but doesn't stop trying to comfort me. I can smell blood and my stomach starts churning. Carlie sings to me and gives me her bandanna to put over my nose and mouth to block the odor.

It takes two tow trucks, a dozen firemen, and countless other to move the vehicles enough to safely extract me from under the wreckage. I can hear Charlie's booming voice giving everyone directions and telling me from time to time that it will be just a little longer. They had tried getting my sister to move, but we wouldn't let go of each others hands so they covered us in one of the fireman's jackets and did their best to work around her body and my legs that lay prone on the icy blacktop. I do my best to stifle my terror, but whimpers keep escaping my lips and the tears flow freely. Finally the piercing sounds of the saws cease and after some more protesting screams of metal being pried apart, the machinery shifts and moves, revealing light and concerned faces, one of them Charlie's. Carlie doesn't let go of my hand as I am lifted onto the gurney. As they wheel me towards the ambulance, I try to lift my head and find Edward. My heart begins to pound in my chest and I'm very close to panic when I see his bronze hair at the back of the crowd. I can tell he is watching, his face is perfectly smooth, but his eyes are nearly as panicked as I feel. I attempt a weak smile as they load me and I think I see his tensed figure relax. I reach out to him with my mind *_I love you_*. I'm careful not to think his name in case my sister heard. He nods once and smiles. I was right to not say his name though because Carlie squeezes my hand affectionately *_Love you too sis_*. I see that she notices my bracelet, but says nothing. She's too worried about my well-being to bombard me with questions about anything except for how I feel. At some point during the ride, I lose consciousness because I hear an unfamiliar voice, "Isabella, you must stay awake, we're almost to the hospital now. You hit your head and we can't let you sleep." I shake my head,"But I'm tired. Just give me ten minutes." I hear a chuckle,"Sorry honey, but I can't in case you hurt your head worse than we can tell right now." I groan and my sister pats my hand.

Charlie and Carlie are the only ones allowed in my room as I am checked over. I've already pulled off the neck brace and sat on the side of the hospital bed, dangling my feet off the side while fingering my bracelet. I'm in the middle of my fifth rendition of 'I'm fine, stop worrying' when a doctor comes in. He is drop-dead gorgeous. "Hello Isabella, I'm Dr. Cullen," he says in a voice like warm honey, "How are you feeling?" I look up, his eyes are the same color as Edward's and full of concern. Oh! This is Edward's adopted father. Damn! All of the Cullen's look good. "I'm fine Dr. Cullen, my head hurts a little and I'm stiff, but other than that I'm just peachy," 'thanks to your son', I add mentally. He shines a light into both of my eyes and checks the tender spot on my head,"Well, the x-rays came back and nothing's broken, you'll have some bumps and bruises, but nothing serious. There is a shallow laceration on your scalp, but there is no need for stitches, just clean it twice a day with peroxide to prevent infection. I'll write you a script for some pain medication and your family can get you home. I'll be back in a few minutes with the paperwork for you to sign Chief Swan," he tells my uncle and walks out of the room. "Are you good to take Bella home?" Charlie asks, "I need to fill out paperwork at the station about the accident." Carlie nods, "Mischa and Allen brought my car and caught a ride home with someone else after they heard Bells was alright. I've got her Charlie, I promise." She gives him her most disarming smile. We walk out and wait at the desk until Dr. Cullen returns with the papers for Charlie. When he gives the green light for my release and hands me my prescription, Charlie gives me another hug and tells us to be careful. Carlie directs me out a side exit to avoid the crowd in the waiting room. I really don't want that kind of attention right now, I want to find Edward.

We stop and fill my prescription, then pick up something for dinner. She watches me like a hawk, fussing over me like I was on my deathbed, until I tell her that I wanted to get a shower and go to bed. She half carries me up the stairs and into the shower because, admittedly, I was a bit dizzy and my head was throbbing by that point. She helps me into my pajamas and actually carries me to my room. I didn't realize my sister was that strong. She draws the covers over me as I lay down, then presses her lips to my forehead. "I'll be right downstairs if you need anything Bells, okay?" she mutters at my ear as she hugs me. I nod and pull the covers tighter around me, my head already drifting. I hear her turn the light out and close the door.

The nightmares begin immediately. Flashes of horror mingling with the sounds of screaming metal and my mother's cries of pain mixes with howls of my father's agony. I have to save them. I run through the darkness, the light flaring erratically, trying to find my way to them. I have to stop their pain. There is something chasing me, I can hear it scraping across the floor. I smell blood and it makes my stomach turn, but I have to keep going, I must help my parents. I must save myself. Somewhere in the darkness, someone is calling my name, but I can't tell which direction that it's coming from. My body is contorting in pain as I stumble and fall, desperately searching. Suddenly I am falling. I hear someone screaming and realize this time, it's me.

"Bella! Wake up love!," his silken voice brings me to reality, "I've got you, you're safe angel. I swear, you're safe." I open my heavy lids to see his golden eyes on my face. I feel his icy hand on my cheek and he has my quivering body wrapped in his arms. "Edward! What are-" the memory of my dreams crash down on me and I bury my face in his chest, sobbing. He rubs his hand down my hair whispering,"Shh, shh, I've got you my love," over and over until my hysterics subside. After I lay quiet for a while, he presses his lips against my hair and asks if I want to talk about it. I shake my head and he hugs me closer. He patiently soothes me until I finally push myself off of his chest and look in his eyes,"I dreamt about my parents, they were screaming and I couldn't find them to help them. They were calling me, begging for me to help them, but it was dark and I kept falling down...It's complicated to explain," I angrily wipe at the tears that have begun to fall again. "I miss my Mom and Dad, Edward." I whisper and fall back against him. He starts caressing my hair again, "I know angel, but it's going to be okay. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday." He begins humming the same song as last night and I feel myself growing sleepy again. I shake my head and sit up," I don't want to sleep right now, I'll just go right back into that nightmare and I can't face it, I don't have the strength. Talk to me instead, about anything, just don't make me sleep, I'm begging you."

He adjusted us so that his back was against my headboard and I was sitting up in his lap,"Okay, what should we talk about?" his eyes as curious as his voice. I held up the wrist that was encompassed by the bracelet," What about this?" He takes the hand and kisses my palm,"I wanted to get you something, that's all. It's platinum, which I prefer over white gold, the sapphire hearts represent you, since your birthday is in September, and the diamonds represent my love for you." "Diamonds?" I sputter,"Sapphires? Platinum?" he nods with each word, "Edward, you shouldn't have spent so much on me, I'm not worth it!" He grabs my chin and makes me look at him, "I never want to hear you say you're not worth it Isabella Marie Swan,"he growls, "You are worth more than all of the jewels in the entire fucking world. Don't pull this shit that you're not good enough ever again because it's just going to to piss me off and I don't want to be upset with you. Do you fucking hear me?" I shudder and nod."Good," he gives me a chaste kiss, "because I discovered while buying it that I enjoying getting things for you. Do I have to remind you that I always get what I want my love?" he gives me that cocky, crooked smile and I feel myself melt. "Alright Edward, but nothing too grand. It will draw attention that I can't afford to deal with. I'd have to think of too many lies to explain where I got them from since we can't tell anyone about us yet. Agreed?" I cock an eyebrow at him. He looks a little glum but nods. I pat his cheek, "Good vampire," I say with a laugh. He laughs,"Ggrrr," and mock-bites my neck, then kisses it. "Ah! Help! My boyfriend is eating me!"I squeal in mock terror and we collapse in a heap of laughter.

"So, have you thought about what kind of car I should get to replace the Volvo you and your evil twin killed?" He asks when the laughter subsides. I shrug, "It depends." "On?" "Do you want to blend it or stick out?" He shrugs one shoulder, "We're supposed to stay inconspicuous, but I could always get one for around here and another to take you out with." I bite the inside of my cheek as I think. His expression looks more and more impatient until I raise a finger, indicating that I just needed to think before I answered. He leans back again, relaxed and completely at home in my room. "What about a Celica?" I finally ask, "I've always liked them. Aren't they fast enough for you?" He contemplates a moment before nodding, "I can see the potential for a Celica." "Don't base your options for getting a new car on me Edward," I respond, "I don't speak Car and Driver so I have no idea what's a quote good vehicle and what's not. I just tossed out a car I liked. One of my friends back in Phoenix, her brother had one and I thought it was a cool car." "Okay, do you have any others in mind?" he urges me. He's excited about this! So adorable! "Um, how about a Lancer? Mitsubishi makes it, I think. I got that one from a video game," I finish when he raises an eyebrow. He smiles, "Thinking about rally racing angel?" he teases, making my face flush again. "I'll have to take you off-roading some time, I think you'd love it. My brothers' and I go all the time. Sometimes my sisters' go too." I laugh at the thought of being in a group of five vampires while off roading out in the mountains. "Why would you take me Edward? Fast food that you could laugh at first while it tries to run away?" I retort. Suddenly the laughter leaves his eyes, "No Bella! I would never think of you that way and neither would my family!" I'm shocked at his horrified expression, "What?" He takes my hands in his, "Love, we may be vampires, but we don't feed off of humans. We live off of animals. Human life is too damn precious to selfishly be taken away just because we are thirsty." "I'm a little confused Edward." He shifts so that we are sitting face to face, "We don't want to be the monster's that myth's and legend's portray us as. We want..." he searches for the appropriate words, "We want to be able to live amongst humans even if we cannot ever be a true part of society. Drinking animal blood curbs our more primal side and allows us to co-exist with humans and each other more easily than if we treated every human we came across like a fat kid treats a fucking happy meal. That's why our eyes are gold, you know." I laugh,"Because you don't eat happy meals?" He tries to look serious, but my insane giggling soon overcomes his attempts and is soon giggling along with me.

Edward pulls out his pack of cigarettes and gives me a questioning look. I point to the window. He sets me on the bed and wraps me in my blanket before walking over and opening the window. He lights one and inhales, then watches the smoke drift out the window as he exhales. "Why do you smoke Edward?" my curiosity getting the better of me,"It's not like it does anything for you." He chuckles, "For one, I like it because every time I inhale, the warm smoke circulates in my chest and it's a nice feeling. Secondly, it helps obscure the constant aroma of human blood, making it easier to surround myself with people and not have the overwhelming urge to eat them. There is no physical addiction, I just happen to like the effects it offers me." I feel like a jerk."Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you," I mumble, concentrating on my bracelet." " You didn't offend me love, you didn't know, so you asked, " he answers, "There is no need to be self conscious about it." I nod and touch the sore spot on my scalp, then wince. "Are you okay Bella?" he asks. I get up from the bed, "I'm fine, I just need to get my pain meds, I'll be right back." He sets his cigarette on the window sill, "I'll get them, be right back," he's gone before I can protest and returns before I can sit back down, pills and a glass of water in hand. I take my medicine and crawl back into bed, he retrieves his cigarette and reclines in the windowsill. As I watch him, my eyes start feeling heavy again. I try to shake it off and sit up, but I feel Edward's arm around me again,"You need sleep my love, you're no good to anyone if you're a zombie at school tomorrow." "I don't want to dream unless it's about you,"I whisper, but it comes out like mush. He lays a kiss on my shoulder, "I'll be right here, no matter what you dream." "Promise?" I feel myself slipping away, but cling to consciousness until I hear,"I swear that I will be here Bella, now sleep." he says something else, but I'm already gone.

**Okay, now we're getting somewhere!!! It's taken forever to get Edward introduced, but I'm just doing what the story tells me. Now I need some help, I'm having trouble deciding which car Edward is going to get, I copied the links to the two different cars and hopefully they will post correctly. Links are on my profile page!!! Please help me decide by leaving me a review with your choice in it, your aid in this is really truly appreciated!!!!!!!!**


	14. Part 14 Date Night

I don't own anything Twilight or any other copyrighted material I make reference to!

**Transylvanian**** Concubine- ****Rasputina** (Listen to the Manson Mix Version it rocks!)

If you want to know how To fly high, then go now To the place where all the concubines...

Meet and converse with them Marvel at their pale skin Wonder how they chew on their pointy...

Teeth and hair are beauty They know it's their duty To be countess in their hearts and their...

Minds that have to whisper See in them a sister Look into their eyes and you'll become

Transylvanian Concubine.  
You know what flows here like wine.  
Stay here with us, it's just time.  
Transylvanian Concubine.

Sorrow is their master Cackling with laughter Now he's having just one piece of...

Cakey is their make-up Catholics try to shake up All the things that form their lives, but they're...

Dead, their sighs, their songs They know what they do is wrong.  
Stay here with us, it's just time.  
Transylvanian Concubine.

Candelabra's lighted Satan has been sighted Never has there been an evening like...

This is what they wanted Always to feel hunted You can never be too rich or too...

Thin. The blood has run out.  
Fangs ruin any cute pout Morning has come now they've flown What have you learned from what has been shown?

**Part 14**

**Date Night**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

Being at school together and having to maintain our false hostility, even for a few days, starting wearing on me quicker than I'd expected so Edward had recommended taking me out on a date. I'd already gotten out of working all week, considering that I'd been nearly killed, so I had few qualms about getting to spend some time with him alone. I had to be very careful with my sister, she was suspicious when I said that I'd be out until late with a friend, catching up on some shopping that I'd been needing to do. Charlie was just thrilled that I wasn't going to be holed up in the house alone. The date is on Friday night, tonight, and I still don't have a clue of what I'm going to wear. Edward had already promised me that we wouldn't be taking his motorcycle because I didn't want to look like a drowned cat by the time we reached our destination. I was going to meet him about a mile up the road, so Charlie or my sister wouldn't see him pick me up. My truck was still being repaired. I had been surprised that it had very little permanent damage done to it. Edward had been geared up to buy me a new car too, I laughed at his bemused expression when I told him that I had every intention of getting my truck back if it was at all possible. I think he's been sneaking into the garage it's at and sabotaging the repairs just to make me give up on it, but I wasn't ready to accept that my red beast had died yet.

I gave up on my pitiful wardrobe and went into my sister's room and raided her closet. I dug out her second favorite shirt, a blue silk tunic top with the three-quarter sleeves that flared out like a calla lily. It had delicate bead work at the hems that sparkled subtly in the light. I rummaged a little deeper and discovered her favorite denim skirt was missing. Drat. It would have went perfectly. I moved on to a plain denim skirt that would hit me right above my knees. At the bottom of her closet I found a pair of dressy black boots that, gasp, didn't have heels. I snatched them up and scurried to my room with my stolen loot. I got dressed and walked into the bathroom to fix my hair. This is where I began to regret not being able to tell my younger twin about mine and Edward's relationship, she could have done my make up and hair in 15 minutes and it would've been perfect. She was a natural at things like that. After a few failed tries, I simply soaked my hair in spray gel and scrunched as many curls into it before pinning it from underneath with an alligator clip and fluffing my hair around it. The bangs I'd been growing out kept falling down, so I curled them into the guise of submission before putting on my make up. Nothing fancy, just mascara, powder, and lips gloss to make my lips shine. I gazed into the mirror on the back of the door and my heart sank. Nothing I did would make me anywhere near beautiful enough to be seen standing with Edward Cullen. But I was out of time. I sighed and returned to my room to retrieve the small beaded purse my sister had given my for my birthday. I slid my wallet, powder, and lip gloss in the purse and grabbed my jacket before heading downstairs.

Dinner for Carlie and my uncle was already in the fridge, note on the counter. I was nowhere near ready, but I grabbed my keys, tossed them in the purse, and walked out into the night. I made it less than 50 yards, "Bella?" Edward's voice comes out of the darkness. I stop and in an instant, he's at my side, his arm snaking around my waist. "You look like a goddess my love," he says just before he leans down for a kiss. He then scoops me up, bridal style, and begins carrying me down the road. "Edward, I can walk," I protest in vain. "And make me pass up a chance to get you so damn close to me?"he taunts, "Not a chance angel. You'd never have to walk again in your life, if you wanted." I smack his chest lightly, "Stop being so melodramatic Edward. My legs work just fine. Put me down." He smiles evilly, "As you wish, my love," and carefully sets me on the pavement. I stumble and bump my shoulder against..his Vanquish, jewel of his car collection, just as he catches me. He laughs, "I can't take you anywhere without you trying to kill yourself can I? You are a goddamn magnet for trouble girl." He opens the passenger door and I get in, scowling at his remarks."Fuck you Cullen," I mutter as he shuts the door. He is sliding in the driver's side already, "I love it when you talk dirty to me, but please, I beg you, stop calling me by my last name. It hurts my feelings." He lets loose the full force of his eyes, then the smile. I gaze into those butterscotch orbs until my head starts to spin. "Breathe Bella," he whispers as he leans over and kisses me again. I do the best I can, but his lips taste so good, fit so perfectly that I forget trivial things like breathing when they are moving with mine.

Eventually he pulls away with a low growl and starts the car. After a few minutes he sets a huge cd book in my lap and tells me to pick one. He rolls down the window and lights a cigarette while I look. We are moving at an insane speed now so I focus on the cds. I find one that seems so appropriate that I laugh as I put it in the player and find the song. Transylvanian Concubine Manson Mix' from Rasputina. He looks at me, a wide grin on his face as he realizes the irony. "My sister has this song on her iPod," I say, "I think it's pretty damn fitting for me, isn't it?" He laughs and nods," In an odd sort of way, it is fitting." He pulls out another cd, "Put it on next and turn in to number four." After the song is over, I do as he asks and hear another song I am familiar with, 'Living Dead Girl' from White Zombie. "I like this one," I admit as I move my head with the beat. It's soon followed by 'Voodoo Child' by Rogue Traders. It's crazy the amount of music he has and a bit intimidating when he explains that the huge cd case in my lap is just the tip of the iceberg. We continue finding songs to fit our little theme all the way to Port Angeles. He even has the nerve to bring up the car question again, this time bringing up another possibility. A Mercedes SLR Mclaren. I have no clue what it is and after a few failed attempts to explain it, he tells me to Google it sometime.

We arrive in record time. "We have time to browse the shops before dinner if you'd like, I know that you told your family that this was a shopping trip, so I took that into account when making the reservation" Edward utters as he helps me from the car. "Alright then," I concede, "But don't think that this gives you a free pass to use that bottomless credit card on me Edward Cullen." He does his best to look innocent," Me? Why would you even consider thinking that my love? Fine. I promise. No credit card." I nod, "Good." He smiles my favorite smile, "I brought cash!" "Edward!" I smack his arm. He laughs and catches my hand before I can hit him a second time, kissing it tenderly before saying, "Stop that, you'll hurt yourself. And don't start with me. I promised no credit card and I will keep that promise Bella, but you will not make me promise not to spend any damn money on you at all, no matter how sexy you look when you get mad at me. You're mine and I intend to spoil you as such so stop bitching and start enjoying." I drop my head," I didn't mean to upset you, I just am used to earning the things that I have instead of being handed every little thing I have a whim for. Besides, you've given me yourself, everything else you give me just makes me feel more unworthy of your love. " He stops us and turns to face me,"Bella, I've never, in my entire existence, been with anyone like this. I have never wanted to buy anyone any damn thing simply on the hopes I could make them smile because they know I bought it because I was in love with them and wanted to see them happy," he brings our entwined hands to his lips and brushes them along my wrist. His eyes close as they move back and forth across my skin. When his eyes open again, they are dark with emotion," I am in love with you Isabella, and I am going to treat you the best as I can offer, whether you argue with me or not. Please, my angel, you are not the only one experiencing true love for the first time. Let me give you the best I have to offer in all things, I beg of you. You are worth all of it and so much more." There are tears in my eyes, I wipe them away quickly in an attempt to preserve my make up, "If it means that much to you, okay." He wraps me in his arms and kisses me fervently. "Yes, it means that much to me Bella," he whispers when we part, "Let's go find you something nice now," he's smiling as I take his hand and we begin walking down the sidewalk.

After two trips back to the car with bags of items Edward decided I absolutely needed to have, we make our way to the restaraunt. The hostess, a bottle blond by the name of Mandy, keeps trying to flirt with Edward until he very pointedly kisses me on the temple and tells me he loves me as she walks us to our table. She is very curt after his public display of affection. Edward doesn't eat, but makes a good show of it as we converse. I dare him to take a bite of my steak and he promptly pops a piece in his mouth, chews, and swallows, looking like he is eating dirt the entire time. I can't help but laugh while he's chewing. His face looks so adorable all scrunched up, like a child being made to eat brussel sprouts just so they can get to the ice cream afterwards. When I'm finished, he pays the bill while I put my jacket on. He claims my hand once more and we walk towards the exit. He opens the door for me, the gallant gentleman. We make it to the first step when two things happen simultaneously, Edward stiffens and I hear a familiar voice proclaim, "Oh shit!"

Carlie is at the bottom step, Jacob Black's arm around her waist. Her face is murderous. "What the fuck are you doing here with Assward Cullen Bella?!" Carlie screams. Jacob's face is a watered down version of his girlfriend's, but he is doing his best to restrain her from resorting to physical violence. I take a deep breath, "For the same reason you are here with Jacob little sister, we wanted to eat dinner," I say it as calmly as I can manage, "Why else would we be walking out of a restaurant? It surely isn't for sight-seeing. Enjoy your meal guys, the steak is absolutely mouthwatering." I tug on Edward and we proceed down the stairs, "And please don't call my boyfriend that name Carlie, or I might have to think up something awful to refer to Jacob as and I'd rather not do that, he's made you so happy." I stop when we are eye to eye, "Aren't I allowed to have the same measure of happiness that you have?" Her eyes soften," Yes, you are allowed, but why him?" she waves a hand at Edward, "I thought you hated him?" I shake my head, "I never hated him, he just annoyed the hell out of me. He still does sometimes, but we're right for each other Carlie. Just like you and Jacob are right for each other. Can't you be happy for me?" I can feel the tears streaming down my face. Carlie sighs, "We need to talk. Now." I nod, kiss Edward on the cheek and whisper," I'll be right back, behave please. He means too much to her for us to fight with." His eyes are angry, but he nods and releases his grip on me, "15 minutes and Jacob and I come looking for both of you." I'm surprised when Jacob agrees with this. Carlie grabs my arms and starts walking away with me, leaving our boys to hopefully not kill each other in our absence.

We move at a very fast pace, the lights of the shopping district fading behind us quickly. I stumble and nearly fall numerous times just trying to keep up. Carlie is looking for a deserted place for her pending explosion. After about five minutes of this, I plant my feet. "Carlie, this is far enough, now please talk to me." I plead. She pulls a cigarette out of her bag and lights it before beginning her tirade. Pacing back and forth in front of me she starts screaming, "What in the hell were you thinking, going out with Cullen? Wasn't his idiocy enough to warn you off? I thought I was supposed to be the stupid fucking twin Bells! Do you know there are some pretty fucked up stories about the Cullen's the Quileute's know out on the rez? Those people are fucking monsters Bella! They're not supposed to be dangerous, but no one knows for fucking sure! They aren't even allowed onto the reservation because they're so dangerous!" I sigh,"You're not stupid and they're not monsters Carlie." She spins around to face me, "What the fuck did you just say?" I square my shoulders and look her in the eye, "The Cullens are not monsters Carlie, I swear on my life." She comes so close we're nearly touching, "You know what they are, don't you?" she whispers. I nod once. "And you're still willing to be around him?!" she screeches in my face, making me flinch."You know that he could kill you any moment and you would rather be with him than preserve your own fucking life Bella?!" I nod a second time. "What is the major malfunction in your fucking brain that makes that okay with you Bells?!" I grab her arms and pull her into a hug, "I love him Carlie," I mutter against her ear."I would rather die than be without him and he would rather die than be without me. How is this different from you and Jacob? How does that fit in with him supposedly being a monster? Can monsters feel love like this Nessie?" I release her and take a step back, trying to gauge her reaction. She opens her mouth to speak when we hear men's voice near us.

"Oh, look at that, a two-for,"one of them says as five men step into the halo from the street lamp. Another chuckles, "If you're looking for some company girls, you just found it." his words are slurred and he wobbles slightly. The others murmer their agreement as they move closer. We're surrounded. I feel Carlie draw her will as I call my own." You need to turn and walk away gentlemen, this is a private discussion, assholes aren't welcome, " my sister spits as she positions herself at my back. "Aw, there's no need to be like that, " a balding one says. One makes a quick play for me and my vision turns red. I release my will in a gush. Flames burst forth from my hands and becomes a wall that circles us. It is soon entwined with a wall of streaming ice. *_We merge them on three_* I think at my twin. *_Okay_* she responds and readies herself. You're not supposed to merge elements, the results are usually explosive.*_One_* I shift my weight more squarely. *_Two_* We draw our will tighter *_Three_* The scene around us explodes in spikes of flame and ice. The bulb in the street lamp shatters. The would be attackers are thrown through the air in all directions, screaming the whole time. Their cries end when they hit the ground. Two more figures suddenly appear out of the darkness. We draw our will again, fire sprouting on my hands, ice on hers, preparing for another attack. "Bella!" "Carlie!" our names are said at the same time. Edward and Jacob's faces are identical masks of shock and fright as they make their way towards us. I smother my will and Edward scoops me up in his arms," Are you okay? Are you hurt?" His words coming so fast I can barely understand them," I was listening in your direction, I wasn't eavesdropping I swear, it's just Jacob and I agreed that you shouldn't be fist fighting with each other and then I heard those scumbags thoughts and saw you two in their minds, I picked Jacob up and threw him on my back and started running. I couldn't hear your minds and then I couldn't hear anything from those motherfuckers for a moment and I panicked." He is running his hands and lips over me as he babbles, inspecting that I am, indeed, unharmed. I can hear Jacob mirroring Edward's words as he also mimics his movements. "I'm so sorry Bella, I should never have let you wander off on your own like that, not as upset as both of you were. I was fucking stupid to think that you wouldn't run into trouble, I should have followed-" I cut him off with a deep kiss. His arms fold around me and I feel myself lifted off of the ground. "I love you angel," he says when I finally have to breathe," I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you. You are my life, my reason to exist, dearest Bella, don't ever forget that." "I love you too Edward," I proclaim right before his lips crash into mine with an intensity that almost hurts.

Suddenly Carlie is crying out,"What's wrong Jake? Jake!" I turn in time to see Jacob fall to his knees, trembling and shaking like he is having a seizure. Edward yells,"Carlie! Get back! He's turning!" "Turning?" I cry out, "What does that mean?" I run over to Carlie and grab her, then start pulling her away. Jacob screams out in pain, "Carlie! Help me!" he cries out. "Jacob!" Carlie lets out a heart-breaking wail and scratches at my arms trying to break free, drawing blood in the process. I just squeeze her to me harder as she screams, kicks and punches. Then Jacob Black explodes in a flurry of clothing and ....fur? A horse sized russet wolf is now standing in the place of Jacob Black. It is growling and starts padding towards my sister and I. My sister goes limp in my arms in that moment. I lower us to the wet pavement, too afraid to do anything else. Edward moves in front of us, hands out, palms up, "Jacob," he speaks in a low, soothing voice, "Carlie and Bella can't understand what you're speaking because right now you are in the form of a wolf. I can because I can hear your thoughts. Please, try not to panic. I know it's your instinct to attack my kind, but I must protect Bella and Carlie." The wolf makes more growling sounds, it's head craning to look around Edward's form. Edward nods, "She's fine, I swear, but she has fainted Jacob. She was very frightened when she thought you were hurt and her mind couldn't handle it. Fainting was her mind's way of protecting itself." More growls. "She's perfectly fine, Bella caught her before she could fall and hurt herself. I know you're scared for her and yourself, but you both will be fine. Right now you need to get back to the reservation. There is another like yourself. Seek him out Jacob, he can help you better than I," the Jacob/wolf gives a low snarl and Edward gives us a brief look," I will take the girls home. You need to worry about yourself for the moment Jacob."

At his name, my twin stirs and calls to him. The wolf's head snaps towards her and begins running to us. Carlie strains against my arms,"Jacob, I know it's you, please don't panic love," tears are running down her face when she turns to me," Let me go, he needs me," she whimpers. I let my arms drop and she falls into the wolf, her arms wrapping around his neck. "Jacob, my Jacob, I love you, I'm not afraid, everything's going to be okay, I'll take care of you," she repeats over and over into the wolf's ear as she holds him. He nuzzles against her and I hear this buzzing, almost the purr of a great cat, start rumbling in his chest. Suddenly the wolf looks at her quizzically and nods. Carlie's tear-stained face breaks into a smile. Then I understand. She can hear his thoughts and she is showing him hers. I watch as my sister climbs onto the great wolf's back. "I can't leave him alone, he needs me. Take my car home Bells," she says as she tosses her keys at me. Jacob takes off running towards the forest before I can protest.*I_'ll be safe with him Bella_* I hear my sister's thoughts, *T_rust me, I've been dreaming about this since the day I met Jake. I knew this was going to happen. I'll see you soon, I promise. Don't let Edward follow, it will make it harder for Jacob_* I take Edward's hand *_Okay Nessie. Be care__ful__. I love you little sister, come back to me soon_* *_I love you too Bells. Be back as soon as he doesn't need me_* "Edward," I finally speak aloud," I have to get my sister's car home, would you drive ahead of me? I don't know her car that well and I don't want to wreck it." Edward's face is marble smooth as he turns and looks down to me," How can you be so calm?! She's in danger every second she's with him Bella! He could kill her!," he growls and starts to move away. I grab him with my other hand," Edward please! She is as safe with him as I am with you so unless you're suddenly going to decide that you are too dangerous to be around me, you're going to have to trust her. And trust Jacob. He needs her and she wouldn't leave him even if the gods came down right this second and demanded it. You couldn't budge her from his side right now my love, so don't even try. It would be like trying to pry me away from you, it'll never happen unless they both want it."

Edward pulls his hand free and begins pacing, running his hands through his wind-blown copper locks. I stand, watching his frantic struggle. His phone rings and he answers it without looking at the ID. "Alice," he answers my unspoken question. I can't hear what is being by his sister. He's nodding,"Yes, Jacob Black phased after Bella and Carlie were nearly assaulted by a group of drunk ass dock workers. The girls are fine. Carlie jumped on Jacob's back and they took off into the forest, heading south." He nods again, then his forehead creases,"What do you mean you can't see them?! Bella's sister is running with a newborn werewolf! I need answers Alice!" he roars so loudly I recoil in fear. He notices. He hangs up on his sister and runs over to me,"Dammit, I'm sorry Bella!" his voice a pleading whisper,"I never meant to frighten you!" He looks around,"We have to go." He picks me up in his arms and is running. I hide my face against his chest, too frightened to do anything but cling to him. Soon thought, he is setting me down into the seat of the Vanquish and then getting in himself. "What about my sister's car?" I ask. He starts the car and pulls out,"My brother Jasper is coming up with Alice. They are going to get your sister's car and take it back to Charlie's. I'm taking you home, where it's safe, to wait for your sister's return," his eyes are tight as he speaks and he's gripping the steering wheel so tightly I'm worried that he will break it, so I reach out and put my hand over his. "Edward, please calm down, you're scaring me," I utter in a low voice, trying to keep the sound even. I fail miserably. He groans and takes his hand from the wheel and wraps it around me,"I'm sorry. Don't be frightened my love," he whispers into my hair, "We'll make things right."

We ride in silence before I gather my courage, "What did you mean when you asked Alice about seeing them?" after the long silence, my voice seems to echo in the vehicle. He lights another cigarette, "I'm not the only one in my family who can do things," he says softly, "Alice can see the future. It's not set in stone though. If someone changes the path the are on, their future changes. Alice has always been infallible when it comes to seeing people, even if all it was a bunch of blurs, she'd still see them. Now she's drawing a blank and none of us know why." "Oh," I chuckle, "I bet she saw me coming." He shakes his head, "A little, but not like this. There is something about you and your sister than keeps Alice's visions of you blurred, almost dreamlike. They are always shifting, even after you make a decision. I suspect it is because of your abilities. They are volatile and in a constant state of flux therefore your future is ever changing." He turns onto another road, which is definitely not the way back to my house. "Where are we going Edward?" slight panic in my voice. "I'm taking you to my home, there are a few things that need explained and figured out. It will also give you a place to call your sister and not worry about Charlie hearing. You need to call Charlie and tell him that you and Carlie are staying at the same friends house tonight. You ran into each other while shopping and decided to make it a girls night." I sit up, "What friend though Edward? I never told him who I was going out with." He smiles, "Alice of course. And if he feels the need to talk with a parental unit, mine are already available. Easy." The car winds up the darkened drive and it is so surreal. There are so many bends and twists that you weren't even sure that there was a road until it opened up right in front of the car. Finally, after what seemed a few miles, the trees thin and there is a large clearing with a mansion nestled in it, lights on all over the place. "Welcome home," Edward mutters so low that I am not sure if he actually spoke. He does that to me all the time! Makes me want to stick my tongue out at him like a 5 year old. And then the fear hits me. His family is going to hate me because I'm a fragile, stupid human who knows their secret. I am so dead. I do my best to cease the trembling in my hands, but it doesn't work as well as I'd hoped.

He pulls into a garage that I can only state as a car museum and kills the engine. "Don't be nervous angel," he say as he gathers my face in his hands, "I won't let anything happen to you, I swear." "I'm not afraid they'll hurt me Edward," I can feel myself blushing and I look away from his perfect face."What are you afraid of then my love?" he presses. I try to look everywhere but his eyes, but he holds my face firmly, the concern in his eyes deepening every moment of my silence. I let out the breath I'd been holding,"What if they don't like me?" I squeak out. He laughs, "So, let me get this straight. You're not afraid of going into a house full of vampires because they might hurt you, you're afraid because that the house of vampires won't like you?" I nod, trying to hide. He won't let me. Instead he kisses me swiftly then puts his forehead to mine, "You are fucking incredible Bella, and quite possible a touch insane. I love you with all that I am either way." I put my arms around him, "I love you too. And I know I'm insane, one has to be to deal with Carlie Swan 24/7," I kiss him on the nose. "Time to introduce the Happy Meal to your family!" He chuckles and, in a flash, opens my door and extends a pale hand in my direction," Shall we, my angel?" I place my hand in his, and throw my shield aside *If they kill me Edward, I'm going to haunt the fuck out of you*. He actually stumbles at the thought and begins laughing so hard I think he's actually going to fall down. I reach out to steady him, but he's already pulling himself back together. He kisses me, "That was fucking funny," and pulls me up the steps to his family.

Dr. Cullen and a caramel haired woman who must be Mrs. Cullen are waiting when we come upstairs. "Welcome to our home Bella,"Dr. Cullen says in a soft voice, "This is my wonderful wife, Esme." Esme smiles and I return it, but neither make an attempt to approach me. Probably afraid that I'd panic and run screaming. "It's wonderful to meet you both," I admit honestly, a blush rising. Edward looks around, "Where are Alice and Jasper?" He turns in the direction of stairs that lead upwards. "Edward!" a tinkling voice calls just before the dark-haired pixie comes into view, followed by her blond ever constant companion, Jasper. Alice bounds over to us and then kisses me on the cheek, "Hi Bella, I'm Alice, this is Jasper. I knew you'd make the right choice!" she laughs, then grabs Edward's arm, pulling him down to her. She whispers something in his ear before he straightens up, smiling. "Thanks Alice," he says and makes a move to ruffle her hair, but she literally dances out of the way. "Rose and Em are keeping an eye out until we get back with Carlie's Car," Jasper qualifies in a quiet, slow drawl. I can't help but feel relaxed since Jasper came into the room. Maybe it was his demeanor. Everything about him cried ' Misunderstood Introvert' and I definitely understood that. Alice takes Jasper's hand and after a quick "Bye!" they're out the door before I can wave. Edward puts his arm around my waist, "Let's get you upstairs so you can call your uncle."

We walk up the stairs, up to the third floor actually. He leads me down the hall going to the right, pointing out rooms as we go, until we reach a door at the end of the hallway. He turns the knob slowly, he looks a little nervous, and lets the door swing open. "Ladies first," he laughs and I walk into his bedroom. It's beautiful. I was prepared for no bed on account his kind doesn't sleep, but there is a king-sized bed made of cherry with four posters and wrought iron work creating a canopy and headboard. The cover is a deep, rich burgundy trimmed in gold threading. It is flanked by end tables of the same design. Two of the walls of his room have a deep gold fabric stretched across it, making it look like liquid dancing on them. Another wall is filled with books, music in all forms, a 42 inch flat screen, and a full out entertainment system with a black leather couch sitting before it. The last wall is glass from floor to ceiling, french doors cleverly hidden in the panes of glass. From the ceiling hangs two matching chandeliers, golden vines and roses intricately woven around each other thus creating the tiers for the crystals and lights to hang from. The floor has a burgundy based Tuscan style rug covering most of the enormous space, muting our footsteps.

"My room," Edward's voice is quiet and missing it's usual cockiness. I turn around to find him still standing next to the door, hands shoved into his pockets, hair in its normal disarray and his eyes bashfully peering at me from beneath thick lashes. He looks like he's never shown a girl his room before! I think to myself. Wait, he hasn't. He is as nervous as I am right now. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his neck, "It's beautiful Edward. Perfect." I whisper, afraid to ruin the moment by speaking louder. He smiles and puts his arms around my waist, "Really?" a touch of nerves creeping into his velvet tone. I nod, "Yes, silly, insecure vampire, I'm sure." I respond and lean up to kiss him. For all of his attitude, he had been truly worried about what I would think of his room! "Can I ask a question though?" He nods, uncertainty flashing across his features again."Anything angel." I nod my head towards the bed, " I thought you didn't sleep?" He scoops me up and carries me over to it and lays me down,"It's for you Bella. You're staying the night, remember?" he asks as he lays down beside me and gathers me up in his embrace. "Oh, well maybe we could take advantage of the fact that we know my sister is safe, I don't have to call Charlie just this minute, and you have such a large, comfy bed..."I let the sentence trail off, watching his reaction. He knows that I am trying to distract myself. He closes his eyes and a low moan rumbles out of him, "Call Charlie first, please, before I can't resist anymore." I chuckle and pull out my phone.

Edward takes off my shoes and massages my feet while I call my uncle's house. No one answers, so I leave a message detailing where I'm at who I'm with and that Carlie and I will be home tomorrow evening, because we're most likely going shopping again tomorrow. I also take the time to call my sister's cell. There's obviously no answer from her, so I repeat the entire plan, twice, before giving her my wishes that all is going well and to call when she gets a chance. Then I hang up and toss the phone and my purse on the couch. Edward looks at me with curiosity as he rubs my feet. "I may not be a good liar, but I've learned, when you do lie, lie about something specific. That way it's easier to remember it." I answer. He picks a remote up from the night stand and aims it towards the entertainment center. I hear Celldweller's 'Frozen' begin playing out of hidden speakers. He smiles ruefully, "It's not the most romantic, but I know you like music." "It's fine love," I answer and lay back on the pillows, enjoying his careful ministrations on my feet while trying to keep my mind off of my sister and her newly wolfed out boyfriend.

I am almost asleep when my phone buzzes. Edward grabs it and hands it to me. Carlie has sent me a text message. 'Got ur msg thx. we r ok prmse. 3 u 2. wl cl asap. gt sm slp' . "She's okay," I let loose a sigh of relief, "They both are. She's going to call as soon as she can." It feels like a crushing weight has been lifted off of me and I am suddenly exhausted, but I don't want to sleep. I grasp at the first distraction that comes to mind. "Do they like me?" I ask Edward, who has moved to the french doors to smoke. "Very much so," he reveals, "Esme looked like she was going to explode with happiness every time I touched you. She was so damn scared that Carlisle had fucked something up when he made me, that I wasn't mature enough or some shit, and Carlisle is just happy that I'm happy." I crawl off of the bed and stretch,"What about Alice and Jasper?" I close the distance between us until I can put my arms around him and lay my head against his back. "Alice loves everyone, so it's a given she would like you, " he says, "Jasper likes you too, he just hasn't been a vegetarian as long as the rest of us. It's difficult for him to be in such close proximity of a human and not get thirsty." I mull things over for a minute then ask,"So, does that mean I should hide in your room in an effort to make things easier for Jasper?" He hears the playful undertone of my voice and laughs, "Well, I did mention earlier about taking you some place that no one could steal you from me, my room just might have to do angel. Think you would mind terribly?" I plant a kiss between his shoulder blades, "Not so much my love, as long as you don't forget trivial human things like feeding me and giving me ready access to a bathroom, I'll be just fine." He tosses the cigarette out into the dark before turning to face me, "Speaking of, I bet you need a few minutes right about now." He leads me over to the wall of music and pulls a hidden latch. Part of the wall pulls away, revealing itself as a door to a palatial bathroom. "Wow" is all I can manage as I enter it. "You'll have to wait for Alice to get back if you want a change of girlie clothes," Edward informs me as I marvel. I shrug, "A tee shirt and boxers would do for the moment," I say, hoping he catches the hint. He does. "I can get you some of mine love, if you want to shower now." I look myself over. I was filthy from our encounter with those men and then sitting on the ground while holding my unconscious sister. "I probably should get clean Edward, I look awful," I say towards the bedroom. I jump as Edward appears before I finish the 'ful', a grey shirt and blue boxers in hand. I take them gratefully. "You could never look awful, my Bella." Edward kisses my forehead, then my lips,"Take your time sweetheart, it's been a long night," he whispers before walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.

I strip down and check myself over. Scratches and burgeoning bruises dotted my arms, torso, and legs. 'Carlie sure did a number one me' I muse as I turn the water on in the walk-in glass shower and step in. I let the near blistering water work its magic on my sore frame, relaxing me as the heat penetrates my muscles. I stand there for a long time just enjoying the water cascading over me. I open my eyes and can barely see, the steam is so thick it has become an inpenetrable wall of grey. I look for his shampoo and find that someone had already taken my need for bathing into account and had placed very feminine soaps and cleansers at my disposal. I open the first bottle and take a sniff. Strawberries and cream. I smile and begin washing my hair. Edward must have told someone that I loved my strawberry hair products. I take my time getting clean, making sure I am squeaky clean before exiting the shower. Thick, expensive towels wait on a table near the shower. I wrap my hair in one and dry my body on another, then carefully hang it up. I pull on Edward's shirt and boxers and let out a quiet moan. They smell like him. I compose myself after a short moment and towel dry my dark hair the best I can. I don't find a hairbrush though. I push open the door and reenter Edward's room with a gasp. Dozens of candles sprinkle every flat surface of his room and I can hear Claire de Lune floating from the speakers. He is absent presently, so I move to the nightstand and find a brush in one of the drawers. I ease myself onto the couch and begin the long process of detangling my wet mop.

I don't make it very far before I feel hands on mine, "Let me," Edward says in a soft voice. He takes the brush from my hands and begins gently running it through my hair. He does an amazing job. I don't feel a single moment of pain or even discomfort as he brushes while humming to the music. It feels so good that I begin to feel drowsy. My eyes grow so heavy that I keep forgetting how to open them once they close. When he is done, he gently picks me up and carries me back to the bed. He shifts my weight to one arm as he pulls back the covers, then lays me down. I feel the comforter drawn up around me, then his weight by my side. I instinctively roll on my side and move my body closer to his until my back touches his chest. Then I reach for his arm and, once finding it, pull it around me. I feel him kiss my head, "Sleep, my only love, dream sweet dreams for us both. I love you, my heart." "I love you Edward. Don't leave," I mumble. "Never," is the last thing I hear.

**Third car in the running now!!! link for it is on my profile page!!! Thank you Leah, I think I 3 you because you're so awesome!!**

**Reviews are better than having Edward pay for a shopping spree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	15. Part 15 Furploded?

I own nothing concerning Twilight or any other lawfully copyrighted material I make reference to or talk about!!!!!!!!!!!

SMut definitely involved this chapter! Ye have been warned!

Switchback-Celldweller

I've made a choice that I regret Now what I see is what I get It's too late to look back i've got no way to switch back it's too late to look back Ain't ok i've got no way to switch back

Wait, How can it be too late 'cause I don't want to play With such a price to pay it's too late to look back ain't okay i've got no way to switch back

[repeat]

Chained to what I can't reclaim I'll never be the same A painful picture that I can't forget now what I see is what I get

**Part 15**

**Furploded?**

**(Carlie's POV**)

My dream come to life, and he can't be alone right now. It's not safe. "I can't leave him alone, he needs me. Take my car home Bells," I say as I toss my keys at her. Jake's muscles ripple beneath me and he lunges forward in a full out run.*_I'll be safe with him Bella_* I think to my sister, *T_rust me, I've been dreaming about this since the day I met Jake. I knew this was going to happen. I'll see you soon, I promise. Don't let Edward follow, it will make it harder for Jacob_* A second of hesitation, then acceptance. *_O__kay Nessie. Be careful. I love you little sister, come back to me soon* I hear her love and concern, it almost brings me to tears. *I love you too Bells. Be back as soon as he doesn't need me* I promise her as we race through the darkened woods. I didn't have the heart to tell my twin that I truthfully didn't know when I would return._

*_How are you doing darling_?* Jake's thoughts touch my mind. They are still very chaotic, but his core is stabilizing swiftly. I hug his neck *I_'m fine love, just worried about you_* I try to convey all of my love in those thoughts. I feel him take in my emotions, pushing him to run even faster. *_I'm monstrous Carlie_* anger licks the edges of his thoughts *_How can you be so unruffled by this_?* *I_t just feels right Jacob, like it was always meant to be this way_* I run my hands over his fur, making him shiver *_I love you more than life itself Jacob, no matter what._* I raise my head into the wind, letting it whip and pull at my hair while enjoying the sensations blazing across my skin. I regret wearing my favorite skirt tonight because it's probably ruined but I'm not cold, his super body heat and long fur keeps me warm. Soon I lift my hands up and spread them out to my sides, holding to the giant wolf with only my legs. *_This must be what flying feels like Jake_* He laughs, it's more of a coughing bark, but I can feel the amusement it portrays *_No_* he disagrees *_This is much more fun_.*

After quite a while, Jake slows his run until eventually we stop. *_There's something over there, I can smell it. Stay here, I'll be back in a second_* I slide off of his back, a little grateful at the chance to stretch my legs *_Be careful Jake. Love you_* He swivels his head, one big, dark eye settling on me *_Love you too Nessie_*. He bolts into the darkness and I will a ball of light into my hand, just enough to fend off the encroaching black. I light a smoke with the other hand and find a rock to sit on. It's cold without his body against me and I am soon shivering against the icy damp air. I check my phone and notice that I have a voice mail. It's Bella. She explains that she's left Charlie a message that we're staying at her friend Alice's house for the night after coming across each other shopping and we won't be back until tomorrow night because more shopping needed done. I sigh heavily and send my sister a text telling her that I'm okay, I love her, and I'll call her as soon as I can. Right after I put the phone back in my bag, I hear a noise. I strain my ears to pinpoint the direction of the disturbance. It's coming from the direction Jacob went, so I hurry to follow the noise. I stumble upon a small hunting shack. Hunting is illegal in these parts of the forest, but the world is full of dickheads. I hear the noise again, this time from inside of the wooden shelter. I pull back the camouflage netting and canvas flap that serves as a door and stop dead. There is my Jacob, naked and human, lying on the floor. His body is covered in sweat and still trembles slightly.I look around the 10 ft by 10ft room. Everything in here is relatively clean. I find what I'm looking for. I grab the double sleeping bag, unzip it, and throw it over Jake's prone form. I kneel beside him and hear that he is sobbing. "Jake" I whisper and touch his head. His arms fly around my waist and he buries his face into my middle. I gently run my hands through his long hair while humming a random tune.

He cries for a long time, holding me tight to him. Then he starts pressing kisses along my stomach. He pushes me onto my back as his lips move lower. He pushes my skirt up with on hand and rips my underwear off with the other, then gently spreads my legs, giving him access to everything. He kisses his way to my bare mound, I can feel his hot, wet cheeks on my skin. He slides his thumbs along my sensitive folds and moans when my body reacts with tell tale wetness. He drags his tongue across the folds, tasting my desire, then he gently opens the folds and laps at the dew between them. Then he is kissing it earnestly like it had been my mouth. His hands move long enough to wrap his arms up under my thighs and back around, pinning me down. My body is trembling, on fire with need.

"Jacob," I moan as my hands grip his hair and tries to push his head deeper. He answers with a low growl and then nips my most sensitive area. My hips buck violently, but he never loses his grip or the contact on my throbbing bud. I writhe and moan as he kisses, bites and licks. I can feel the knot building in me, begging for release, but he always softens his attentions as I get close to the peak. Alternating between soft licks and hard sucking, he has my entire body vibrating and covered in sweat as I beg for him to give me release. He shifts slightly and unwraps one of his arms. His fingers trail up and down my thigh, coming closer to my center with every pass. Then I feel his fingers at my entrance, "Mine," he growls as he slides them into me. "Yours," I gasp as he begins moving two fingers in and out slowly. I know that I am his, mind, soul, and now body. My back arches off of the floor as his fingers increase their tempo. I twist my hips, trying to force the sensations deeper, but he pins me down, growling again. I whimper, "More," as I grab fistfuls of his hair and pull him into me with all my strength.

His mouth breaks contact and my eyes fly open. He is watching me as his fingers pump in and out in an ever increasing pace. "Let go," he whispers and my will breaks. I start moaning and thrashing wildly, my hips pumping and rocking to meet his thrusts. My hands find my breasts and I twist and pull at my nipples, the ache for his touch on them nearing pain. "More!," I cry out, my voice husky and alien to my ears. His fingers start crashing into me much more forcefully and I can't stop it this time. My body snaps and explodes from the inside. I can feel my muscles tighten around his slick digits, making the spasms more intense and I cry out, not knowing what words escape. He doesn't give me time to recover. I am still rocking with the force of my orgasm when his body is suddenly on my own, pining me delightfully against him. "Carlie..My girl," his guttural snarl as he finally claims me, it sends another orgasm racing through my body. A primal urgency claims us. There are no gentle words spoken as he slams his hard member in to me over and over again. The sounds of skin on skin slapping together echoes in the small area, mixing with our growls and moans as we move together, caught up in an animalistic passion. My nails leave deep red welts in his dark skin as I claw at him, urging him on. My biting kisses leave bruise-like circles all over his chest and neck. When he moves off of me, I literally cry out with need, tears springing to my eyes. I shrug my skirt off as fast as I can. He urges me onto my stomach and I feel his teeth on my neck just as he slides back into my aching center. He pulls my shirt over my head and tosses it aside. His movements are more brutal now. Harder, faster, as he pounds into me, making me scream in pleasure, always begging for more. I am floating on the violent waves of bliss, wave after wave of mind blowing pleasure overloading my mind and body. One of his hands grabs at my hair and he pulls on it, sending jolts of electricity through my body and into my throbbing tunnel."Fuck me harder Jacob," my frenzied pleas soliciting more growls from him and I feel another bite on my neck as he gives in to my pleas. I manage to reach behind me with one arm and lock my fingers in his inky mane. His breathing changes and his movements grow more erratic "I'm close Carlie,' he whimpers in my ear. I moan and push my body harder to match his rhythm. It becomes a race to find our release together. "Hurry Jacob," I cry, feeling my own crashing down on me. WIth a roar, I feel Jacob's body stiffen and begin to twitch with the slightest tremors as his seed fills me.

Bites turn into tender kisses, scratching becomes loving caresses as we give our bodies time to calm down. He turns us around so that he is laying on his back and I am resting on his chest while wrapped in the sleeping bag. Ivory on russet skin, both glistening in the pale shards of moonlight straining to filter down through the canopy. "I love you," we whisper to one another repeatedly as we bask in the drowsy, pleasurable afterglow. I think I doze a little, because the night seems to go by so quickly. I am brought back to reality with his whispered words,"Carlie, we need to talk about this." I sigh and nod. He helps me back into my clothes then sits with his lower half under the sleeping bag. I assume a comfy position in his lap, light a cigarette, and wait for him to organize his thoughts. He kisses my neck and gives me a gentle squeeze before speaking. "There is another werewolf out there, waiting for me. His name is Sam Uley. I heard his thoughts calling to me when I found this place. I managed to calm down enough to switch back to this form before the temptation to run to him became too great to resist. I can't stay away from him for long honey, he's all alone. We're the only two of our kind, for now. With the Cullen's constant presence, there will be more of us, I don't know when though." He shakes his head in disgust, "I wish this never happened Carlie. I don't want to hurt you or Bella because of what her boyfriend is." He looks at me, agony plain on his face,"If I could find away to go back, I would, in a heartbeat. As wonderful as it was, running through the forest with you like that, I am afraid. I feel like I'm going to fly apart again." I nuzzle my face into his neck, "You mean when you furploded?" He starts,"Furploded? Where did you get that?" I shrug, "A few websites about a book series that has werewolves in it. A lot of people on there described the changing process as 'furploding'. From what I seen with my own eyes, it seemed appropriate." He scratches his jaw idly, then nods, "Yeah, I guess it is appropriate, I mean, that's what it feels like anyways."

Jacob's head snaps up just as I hear a wolf's plaintive howl on the wind. " I need to get you home," he says and gets up. "I need to call my sister so either her or Edward can pick me up,"I answer,"Bella made up a big story to cover our asses and it entails her and I staying with Cullen's sister Alice. She did it so Charlie wouldn't worry about seeing us until tomorrow night." He nods, "I'll need to talk to Bella then so we can find a place to meet. I can't risk violating the treaty we have with the Cullen's, now that I know all that shit is true." I find my purse and dig out my phone. My hands shake a little as I dial my sister's number, would she be able to tell what had transpired between Jake and I? I light another menthol as it rings. Finally, on the fourth ring, someone answers. "Carlie?" it's Edward's voice. "Yeah, um, can I talk to my sister Cullen?" I try to keep my voice polite, it felt odd, being nice to this asshole. "Of course!" he gushes,"I'm waking her up now Carlie, please give her a minute to get her bearings, ok?" Wow. He was being nice to me as well. Awkward! "That's fine. Jake just needs to know where to meet so he can hand me over. He has, um, some things to attend to still." I answer. "I understand," he says,"Here's Bella." "Nessie! Are you okay?" Bella's voice is raspy from sleeping, but the worry is evident. "I'm fine Bells," I say,"We just need to know where we can meet you, Jake can't cross the treaty line and bring me all the way to Cullen's house. Even if he could, I have no idea where it is sis." Bella rattles something to Cullen, I can't make out what it is. Then Bella speaks to me again, "Can Edward talk to Jacob for a minute? They need to figure out where to meet." I look at Jake, questioning. He nods and reaches out for the phone. I hand it over. "Hello?" he asks. Cullen is describing something, Jake nods his head and voices his agreement. They talk for a few minutes, not quite hostile, but not acing like BFF's either. After a few more minutes of discussion, he hangs up the phone and looks over his nude form, a slight blush on his dark skin. "I'm going to need to change back Nessie, " he explains, "If you want to wait outside....I don't want to scare you." I laugh quietly,"I'm not scared Jacob, but if it makes you more comfortable, I'll go." He nods and after a quick kiss, I walk out into the frigid night to wait for my werewolf.

My werewolf. It only occurred for the first time a few hours ago, but it seems so natural already. Something from the far reaches of my mind reminds me that I had been having the dream of Jacob's transformation since the day I'd met him, so of course I had been prepared in some small way. His real phasing compared to the one in my dream had been eerily similar also. I remember the agonizing pleas "Carlie! Help me!' that had burst from his mouth in that deserted lot, and my chest constricts. I couldn't help him. Bella had clamped her arms around my waist and had refused to let go, no matter how much I had hurt her while trying to get to Jacob. I felt terrible about that. I had hurt my twin and had also been useless in being able to aid the one thing I loved more than anything. I ran my hands through my hair and let out a frustrated groan. I was in love with a werewolf and my twin fucking sister was in love with a vampire. Vampires and werewolves were mortal enemies. Yippee for us. Now what in the hell were we going to do? I ignite my little orb again and start playing with it's colors, trying to take my mind off of the pain that was sure to come. Him and I making love like that was probably meant to be a goodbye on his side of things. He knew how this was going to end and maybe had wanted to show that he did love me before we parted ways. The most wonderful night of my life was also going to be the end of it. Jacob would go to this Sam Uley, never to return. All because my sister's boyfriend was Edward fucking Cullen and he was a vampire. My world was about to end and there was nothing I could do about it.

I hear Jake's paws on the mossy earth behind me. I turn to see a question in his large, dark eyes. I scratch behind his ear, he stretches his neck out and mock kicks his leg while that wolfy laugh rumbles out of his massive chest. *_What's wrong honey?_* Jake's question flows into me. I feel the hot tears bubble up and spill down my cheeks *_You're going to leave me for good after this, aren't you?_* I ask before I can bite back the question. He whines softly *_No! I could never do that Carlie! Why would you even think that_?* I sniffle despite myself, *B_ecause of Bella's boyfriend. You'll stay away because it would be basically like coexisting alongside the enemy, right?_* He nuzzles his snout against my neck and starts that rumbling/purr *_I'll never let you go Nessie, even if it means having to live peacefully with a bloodsucker just so I can be near you. I love you, don't forget that. You're my world. Now come on, we don't want to be late and cause trouble._* I climb onto his back and nestle between his shoulders again. It feels like the divet in his back was made just for me and I find my sorrow drifting away as the wind rushes around me once again.

The gentle drumming of his paws against the ground lull me into a restful half-doze, so his next thought startles me *I_ talked to my dad yesterday about something pretty big. I asked him to transfer me to Forks High Carlie, so I can go to school with you. I can't bear the thought of being away from you anymore. He already agreed and is going to call the school and stuff on Monday to get the ball rolling._* *_What about this Jake? What about your dad? Are you gong to tell him? Aren't you going to need to stay close to the reservation for mentoring or some shit?_* *I_'ll learn when I can sweetheart. You're infinitely more important to me than learning how to sniff a wolf's ass properly and all that shit. And I think my dad already knows, but yes, I'm going to tell him._* My laughter mingles with his wolfish equivalent. *_It will be nice having you there with me Jake. Think you'll be able to handle the Cullen Clan?_* He sighs *_For you, I'll do anything. We're close_* a whines erupts from his muzzle. *_Holy fuck do they stink! Burns my damn nose!_* He comes to an abrupt halt and I'm pushed forward on his back, but manage to refrain from being catapulted over his head. *_Sorry honey_* I squeeze his neck *_That's okay my love, I'll just get even with you when I go out and buy a flea collar for you to wear. Hot pink._* He chuckles, despite his discomfort, then begins loping slowly towards the treaty border.

Thirty yards back from the treaty line sits a car with two pale figures moving back and forth in front of it. As we break through the tree line, the bigger one, obviously Edward, points in our direction, and Bella starts sprinting towards us, not being careful of her steps. She trips, and in a blur of movement, Edward is there to catch her before she hits the ground. It leaves less than ten yards between us and them. Once she is stable again, he kisses her forehead and retreats back to his vehicle. *_I love you Jacob, come back to me soon._* I echo my sister's words as I climb off his back. He nudges me softly, his head against my chest. *_I love you Carlie, and I will come back, even if I have to fight my way through hell to do it. Now go, before I change my mind and steal you away forever_.* I kiss the top of his large head *_Just give the word and we'll be gone._* I pat him one last time and then I'm the one running towards my sibling.

We slam into each other and crash to the ground, laughing at crying all at once. It barely registers that our significant others are watching us with matching looks that mix amusement and concern for our well being. We're on our knees, arms wrapped around each others waists, foreheads touching. She looks like a pale angel, dressed in creamy ivory silk, and I resemble a woodland sprite with bits of twigs and brambles in my hair and dirt smudging my translucent skin. Neither of us care right now that our lives are on polar opposite paths or that the loves of our lives are mortal enemies. It's just us, safely inside of our little twin bubble. Her memories of the night are flowing into my mind and mine are flooding into hers. Every secret that the other had been hiding in our recent pasts being revealed. For that time, we are simply two appendages of the same organism. The past night has altered us so completely and yet we were still exactly alike. We both discover the love for our other halves. An unconditional, irrevocable, and, in all honesty, irrational love that she has for Edward and I have for Jacob. In this infinite space, I love Edward and she loves Jacob, as completely as we love our boys ourselves. I feel Edward's hands and lips in her mind of him memorizing her body and scent and she experiences my intimate moments making love to Jacob. Then the memories fade back, our minds slowly become our own again.

*_Love you_* we think to each other and push ourselves to our feet, arms still gripping tightly around the other. *_I love you Jacob_* I throw out to my furry protector as we walk towards Edward's Vanquish. *_Love you Carlie_* he thinks back before lunging back into the forest, looking for Sam. Edward is missing his usual asshole grin as we reach him, instead there is the unmistakable look of love and devotion as his eyes focus on my sister. She doesn't relinquish her firm grip on he as he leans down and presses his lips to hers, she just snakes her free arm around his neck and pulls him closer. Another time this would have at best bugged the shit out of me and at worst, infuriated me, but right now I'm just happy for them. I finally am freed when Bella's arm drops from me and wraps itself around Edward. I take the chance to move off a few yards and light a cigarette.

"Sorry about that," Bella's voice reaches me, "Are you ready?" She sounds excited about me meeting her vampire family. I do my best to conjure a realistic smile "Sure." If it makes her happy. Just push back the empty feeling you have and smile Carlie, I tell myself as I walk back to Edward's car. It is a nice car, I realize as I look at it. I would never have been able to ruin it like we had the evil Volvo. What the hell was an all powerful vampire doing with a fucking hatchback Volvo to begin with? Shouldn't it be a Mercedes Guard or something? Edward opens the door for us and I climb into the lush backseat. Bella slides into the front passenger seat, looking eager. I have the sneaking suspicion that maybe Cullen has finally cured Bell's of her fear of high speeds as Edward begins taking us back to his home at some pretty high speeds and my sister's goofy smile never falters. Okay, maybe there's hope for Cullen after all.

Cullen Mansion is hidden off of the main road, miles of woodland hiding it from the world. At least my sister has damn good instincts when it comes to finding someone who can take care of her. She could buy a new book to read every damn day and never run out of money. She wouldn't give a shit about all of the other things that money could buy, which was a good thing. Money didn't particularly matter to either of us, but Bella's obsessive compulsive reading habits could get expensive at times. And the fucking cars they had in their garage! My fingers twitched at the thought of taking each of them out for a test drive. They all looked very fast. I like fast. "Nessie, are you going to get out of the car eventually or just sit their gawking?" Bella's voice snaps me back to reality. A feel a blush burn across my cheeks as I nod and get out of the car. Edward leads us upstairs, his arm firmly around Bella's waist.

As soon as we enter the main floor, I am awestruck. "Holy Fuck," I mutter as I look around. Bella smacks my arm,"Language!" I turn my head to her, "Like Cullen doesn't cuss any more than I fucking do?" Her eyes flash to Edward's, then down to the floor, her cheeks flaming. Edward kisses her cheek, then whispers something in her ear before letting his arm drop from her and walking into another room. "What, is he going to check their stock of virgin's blood to make sure he has enough in case he has the urge to have you for dinner?" I ask sarcastically. My sister lets out a quiet laugh and shakes her head,"Funny, but no. We know that you haven't eaten or anything and he was going to get you a plate of food so you could get a shower with a full belly. We were hoping that you'd pass out from exhaustion after that because we were thinking about sacrificing you to some pagan blood god and take over the world." Laughter rains down from all over the house. She smiles again and shows me the way to the kitchen.

As her and I eat, I look around and think. Carlisle and Esme are the kind of parents anyone would wish for, Alice and Jasper are exact opposites so that automatically means that they can't live without each other. Emmett is a five year old stuck in a man's body that's stuck forever in his early 20's. Rosalie is the very definition of vain. She's gorgeous, but there is something ugly inside of her that mars her beauty in ways that make me pity her. Cullen is still an asshole, but he treats Bella like she's a goddess. I snort at that thought. As much as I'd just love to punch him in the mouth, I can't deny the warm and fuzzy's I see in Bella when he's near. Then there's Bell's herself, completely at ease in a house full of creatures that normally look at us as food and in my twins case, because of her near-disabling clumsiness, entertainment and dinner. Then I look deeper. I know it sounds like fucking lunacy, but it seems like Bella has always been here, in this house. Every movement is so natural. Then the thing I'd been trying to avoid hits from another direction. Bella belongs here. I don't. I belong with my werewolf. For the first time in our lives, we really were on two separate paths. She couldn't follow mine and I couldn't follow hers.

Then absolute terror washes over me. Something's wrong with Jake, I can feel it. I drop my fork with a clatter as panic grips me. I have to go to him. Now. Everyone looks at me, their conversations halted. I'm wild eyed as I stagger up from my chair and stumble towards the door. Jacob needs me, he's frightened. My mind is clouded with it. I feel hands on me, trying to still me, but I try to shake them off, sobs bursting out of me. "Jacob." is all I manage to choke out before willing them off of me and breaking into a run out of the mansion. "Carlie!" I hear Cullen's voice beside me," Stop! You're going to hurt yourself. Tell me, please." "There's something wrong with Jake Edward, he's scared, I can feel it," I cry out as I run. Suddenly Edward is gripping my arms and slinging me onto his back, "Okay, but at least let Bella go with you. You are scaring the shit out of her," he explains as he carries me back to his house.

Bella is pacing at the bottom of the large porch when we move into the halo of soft light emanating from the house. "Nessie!" she cries out as Edward sets me down. Her body collides with mine into a bear hug of epic proportions. "What's wrong with Jacob?" she asks when she finally lets me go. "I don't know except that he's scared shitless and a little angry now," I say, lighting a menthol, "Whatever we're doing, we'd better do it now before I completely flip the fuck out." Bella nods, "Alice and Jasper brought your car here after Alice guessed what my plans were." She pulls my keys out of her jacket and puts them in my hand,"Let's go. Edward is going to wait at the boundary line in case it's something serious and you need to stay, he'll be able to take me home if I need him to." She puts her arm out and I see my Eclipse sitting in front of the garage. I run to it, slamming the door closed as I shove the key into the ignition and twisting it. The car roars to life as Bella gets in the other side,"Buckle your seat belt Bells, "I warn her as I shove the stick in first and slam the gas. I see the headlights of the Vanquish easily keeping pace with my car as we race to La Push. Speeding towards my frightened werewolf, speeding towards my reason for being. Speeding to save my Jacob.

**Thanks for the great reviews!!!! They make me warm and fuzzy too!!!!! Keep them coming!  
Any thoughts on why Jacob is afraid??? Post them and we'll see if you're right!!!!**

**Leaving me reviews makes my adrenaline pump faster than racing Edward in his Vanquish!**


	16. Part 16 The Duel

**I own nothing Twilight!!!!! I own nothing of any copyrighted material or media that I make references to either. Just one more fan!  
FYI- There is A LOT of cussing this chapter so if you are easily offended I'm sorry!!!!!!!!!**

Lily Allen-Fuck You

Look inside, look inside your tiny mind, then look a bit harder Cause we're so uninspired, so sick and tired, of all the hatred you harbour So you say it's not OK to be gay, well I think you're just evil You're just some racist, who can't tie my laces Your point of view is medieval

Fuck you (fuck you)  
Fuck you very very much Cause we hate what you do and we hate your whole crew So please don't stay in touch Fuck you (fuck you)  
Fuck you very very much Cause your words don't translate and it's getting quite late So please don't stay in touch

Do you get, do you get a little kick out of being small-minded?  
You want to be like your father, it's approval you're after Well that's not how you find it Do you, do you really enjoy living a life that's so hateful?  
Cause there's a hole where your soul should be You're losing control a bit And it's really distasteful

Fuck you (fuck you)  
Fuck you very very much Cause we hate what you do and we hate your whole crew So please don't stay in touch Fuck you (fuck you)  
Fuck you very very much Cause your words don't translate and it's getting quite late So please don't stay in touch

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you Fuck you

You say you think we need to go to war Well you're already in one Cause it's people like you That need to get slew No one wants your opinion

Fuck you (fuck you)  
Fuck you very very much Cause we hate what you do and we hate your whole crew So please don't stay in touch Fuck you (fuck you)  
Fuck you very very much Cause your words don't translate and it's getting quite late So please don't stay in touch

Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you

Fuck you Fuck you Fuck you

**Part 16**

**The Duel**

**(Carlie's POV)**

Fucking Nascar wannabe's had nothing on me as I barreled towards Jacob. Bella didn't say one damn word about my driving and Edward never fell behind. I didn't try to explain where we were going, I just felt a pull in a certain direction and went with it. The Vanquish pulled over as we passed the treaty line, but I didn't even fucking hesitate. Bella's phone rang and she spoke in hurried whispers as I smoked and sped down the roads of La Push. We ran out of road too soon. I simply slammed on the brakes, pulled the emergency brake, and got out running as fast as I could. Bella couldn't keep up and soon fell behind. She tosses me a bag and says that they're clothes for Jacob. I couldn't stop and wait for her, Jacob's anger was now overtaking his fear and I knew it was only going to get worse. I just called for my little light and ran for everything I was worth.

As I crash through the forest, I notice that the darkness is beginning to fade. I'm having to rely less on the ball of energy, so I begin diverting my energy to seeking Jacob out. Snowflakes flitter around my head. I hadn't realized how high my run had taken me into the foothills of the Olympic Mountains. My chest is burning so badly I half-expect to see smoke coming out of my chest as it tries to ignite. It doesn't happen, of course, but that's what you get for having an overactive imagination. Jacob's anger and fear spurn me on, I'm equally scared and furious now.

I am following a well worn deer trail when I hear what sound like a pack of wolves snarling at each other off to my left. I turn off of the path, not caring about the scratches and cuts that are being inflicted on my body. I have to get to him, I know he's one of the ones growling, I'd know it amongst a hundred wolves. I fall through the underbrush and into a clearing. Before my eyes are a black furred wolf battling a red one. "Jacob!" I scream as the black one lunges at the throat of the red. His head ships my way just as he barely dodges the attack of the dark one. A snarl more fierce than I'd have thought possible erupts from Jacob and his teeth shine in the moonlight. He dives at the larger wolf, tearing and shredding at the others pelt with an insane show of aggression. The other clamps it's teeth on Jacob's fore-paw, causing him to emit a shriek of agony and the wolves throw themselves apart. They circle each other warily, both limping and bleeding from multiple wounds. I try to move, but my feet won't comply. Incomprehensible babbling is coming from my mouth, I realize, so I fight to close my mouth. I can hear ragged sobs from somewhere, but when I look, no one else has entered the clearing. Again I realize, it's me. I wrap my arms around my middle, forcing myself to calm down. Jake's dark eyes flit over to me for just a second. It's the look in his eye that is my undoing. He is going to lose. And he knows that losing means death.

I draw my will and focus on the black wolf. It doesn't pay attention to me, it's too preoccupied with Jacob. I know that the other must be Sam, so I reduce the energy to be expelled. I don't relish the idea of killing another creature, especially since him and the love of my life are the only two of their kind in existence. Sam must have been able to sense a difference in the atmosphere, he looks at me with a confused expression. I release the energy, knocking Sam back 20 yards, his body slamming into a tree then falling to the ground, limp. I watch warily, he's breathing but unconscious. Good. Serves the bastard right for hurting my Jacob. My Jacob. I turn just in time to be scooped up into the arms of one sweaty, bloody, and naked Indian who proceeds to kiss every inch of my face. "Shh, shh, I've got you," he says over and over while kissing me. "You're hurt!" I exclaim when I see a deep red gash on his forearm. I pull my shirt off, grab it and wrap it as tightly as I am able. "It's okay Carlie," he says, amusement tainting his tone,"I heal a lot faster now." "We need to get you to a hospital!," I argue, "Dr. Cullen can look at you, he won't bite, I swear!" I get into the bag my sister had thrown at me,"Here, you need to put some clothes on while I try to figure out how to get back to Bell's and my car."

He starts getting dressed while I go to check on Sam, who is now lying in human form at the bottom of the tree I knocked him into. "Sam?" I keep my voice low and nonthreatening, "Sam, can you hear me? I'm Carlie Swan, Jake's girlfriend." I put my hand on his shoulder and he stirs slightly and his eyes bolt open. I jump back at the same time he does, looks of confusion on both our faces. "Are you alright Sam?" I ask, "I didn't mean to throw you so hard, I just couldn't stand seeing you hurt Jake anymore." His confusion deepens,"You threw me against the tree?" he actually snorts, "Impossible! You weigh what, a buck 25 at most?" I straighten myself up to my full 5 foot 4 inches, "Whether you want to admit it or not Sam Uley, there are more dangerous things out there than sarcastic vampires and bratty werewolves." His expression is one of amused disbelief, "Like what?" I draw the swirling ice around my hands, "Like me." I aim the ice at the ground my his sides and let loose a burst. He's so startled that he shifts back to his wolf form, yips and growls coming out of him at an incredible speed. Jake is between Sam and I in a blink. "Sam," Jake growls,"She's my imprint." Imprint? Sam's eyes widen at Jacob's words and he sits down. Jake puts his arm around me and takes me a few yards away," He'll talk to me now, we just have to wait for him to calm down enough to switch back. I've been trying to tell him for an hour, but he was so pissed about this shit with the Cullen's that he just freaked out and started running towards Forks. I was trying to keep him from breaking the treaty." I reach into the bag and find my cigarettes and after lighting one, I look up into Jake's espresso eyes again,"What's an imprint?" Jake smiles and kisses the top of my head, "It's what happens when a werewolf finds their soulmate. Love at first sight." My head swims a little, but I manage to keep myself together. He sits on the ground and pulls me into his lap,"You look completely exhausted Nessie," he says as he snuggles me close to him. I snicker, "Well, I've had a few fucking things come up that were just a little more important than sleeping Jacob. Like my boyfriend furploding into a goddamn werewolf, said werewolf making love to me, being introduced to the motherfucking vampire Brady Bunch, oh yeah, and having to rescue the aforementioned boyfriend from another pissed off werewolf. Did I miss any fucking thing?" He erupts in a booming laugh," Yeah, I think there were a few sentences back there that you forgot to throw the word fuck into." I glare at him, desperately not wanting to admit to the hilarity of the moment, but I feel my willpower slip and am soon laughing along with him.

"What are you laughing at?" Sam's voice says behind us. I look and he's almost...smiling? Jake gives me a reassuring pat on my back as Sam, wearing a pair of shorts I brought, sits across from us. "Well? Do I get to know or is it some kind of secret?" he asks. Jake laughs and shakes his head, all animosity gone for now, "No big secret. My girl here was just showing me the diversity of the word fuck." Sam looks at me,"Really? She doesn't seem the type to have a mouth on her like that." "You'd better fucking believe it," I half-growl,"So does this mean you two furballs are done trying to kill each other? Because I'd really like to know what the hell is going on." Jake and Sam both jump at the word furball, then look at each other before lowering their gaze to me. I refuse to be cowed, instead, I sit straighter in Jacob's lap and lift my chin arrogantly,"Hey, I'm just calling it as I see it. I'm sure there will be enough jokes at me and Bella's expense about being witches just as soon as you guys get done trying to out piss each other and start using your brains." Jake falls back laughing so hard I am nearly ejected from his lap. Sam just looks at me, flabbergasted. "I did try to warn you Sam," Jake chortles,"My girl here is a damn firecracker." Sam nods solemnly,"Remind me to never get on your bad side again Carlie. I'm going to feel that tree for a week, but that mouth of yours is going to haunt me for months."

I wriggle out of Jake's lap,"Don't you forget it Sam Uley," I say,"Now, if I can trust you two alone for five minutes, I have to call my sister before her boyfriend's family sends a search party out for me." Sam's smile fades slightly,"The Cullen's know better than to cross the treaty lines Carlie."; I nod,"Yeah, and what would you do if one of your girlfriends family member's was lost in your supposed enemies territory? I bet you'd ignore the rules and do whatever it took to find them and bring them back safely." Sam nods thoughtfully as I walk a safe distance away and dial the phone. It rings once."Hello? Carlie?" Bella's voice is frantic. "Yes, I'm fine. Jake's fine, now, Sam lost his temper about something and him and Jake got into a fight but it's being worked out," I answer as calmly as I can. "Well, I moved the car back across the border because I got tired of yelling back and forth to Edward,"; Bella answers,"Are you coming back soon?" I look at the werewolves, who are speaking quietly,"Yes, probably in a few minutes. I'll get Jacob to run me down the hill, okay?" She agrees and we hang up. I shuffle back over,"Okay boys, I need Jake to take me back down so my sister won't flip out and I'm assuming it would be easier to talk without Jake being distracted because he's worrying that I'll fall and kill myself, right?" Jake stands and gives me a chaste kiss,"You know me too well honey," he whispers in my ear, then walks into some brush to phase. I look at Sam as I draw my will,"You get one warning only Sam. You ever pull that shit again, I will neuter you. I could feel his terror from 20 fucking miles away. Anything, and I mean anything happens to him because you're being an idiot, you're fucking lunch meat. Okay pumpkin?" I finish in a voice that is sickeningly sweet. He is floored by my words, because he just nods dumbly. I pat him on the cheek as my will disperses," Good. Toodles!" He doesn't move an inch as I walk away, humming to myself.

Jake meets me at the edge of the clearing, a question in his eyes. I shake my head and smile as I grab a handful of fur and swing myself onto his back. "Let's run my love," I whisper into his ear. He answers by digging his claws into the dirt and then plunging into the woods with all of his might. _*You've been afraid of something all night Jake, what is it?_* I ask as the forest blurs green passed us. *_Sam is in my head the whole time I am wolf Carlie. He was telling me things, some of them I couldn't accept because it would destroy you if I had to do them. I was afraid that I wasn't going to have a choice. That's why him and I ended up in that fight. He was telling me that Edward was luring Bella in to use her as food and I had a unique opportunity to kill him before Edward could hurt Bella or you. I knew it wasn't true, but Sam wouldn't believe me, even when he saw my thoughts. I know it would kill Bella to be without Edward, he looks at her like I look at you. Like he was imprinted on her or something. Sam called me a coward. I asked him if they could truly be the monsters we had been raised to believe they were when they could feel an emotion as pure and good as love. That's when he wolfed out on me. I figure at some point Sam will call me out on it again and we may end up with and old fashioned duel on our hands_* He chuckles darkly at that sentiment. *_Don't worry, I'll protect you sweetheart_* I promised him vehemently. His ears twitch at my tone. Even if our conversation was only a mental one, he could sense the emotions behind the words.

We reach my car in a fairly short time. It's trunk is facing our direction with Bella is sitting on the blue hood, her back to us, and Cullen is standing between her legs. Her arms are up around his neck and his are at her waist. I climb down from Jacob and he lopes off to change. Edward notices we are there, but Bella is so wrapped up in him, she doesn't even interrupt the cadence of their kiss. I'm about to growl at the defilement of my Eclipse when I hear a sound. Then Jacob's arms are around me and his lips are seeking out mine. I could care less about what my sister and her boyfriend are doing on my car after that. Jake's the one who comes to his senses first, pulling away with a big grin on his face, "Aren't we supposed to be somewhere?" he inquires. "Umm," I rifle through my scattered thoughts. More than one possible answer comes to mind."Well, are we talking about the Cullen's, our rendezvous at First Beach, or maybe another round at the hunting shelter?" I reply, doing my best to convey that I'd prefer the third option. He makes my day with his response,"All three." I melt into him as he crushes his lips against mine again. Soon it is a sight for a teenage make out movie. Jacob has sat me up on the trunk of my car so I wouldn't have to stretch so far to kiss him and my twin is at the front in a similar position. If I were and outsider coming upon this, I'd have died laughing.

It's Jacob's moan as he shoves his pelvis into mine that alerts Bella to our presence. Edward looks at her with a smirk on his face while she blushes and says hello to us from over the roof of the car. I laugh,"Well Bell's, I knew you could be oblivious to things going on around you, but this definitely takes the cake. We've been down here for,"I check my cell,"almost 20 minutes and you never realized it. But,"I snicker a little," I now what it takes to keep a Bella entertained for hours on end. An Edward." Everyone bursts into booming laughter, except for Bella. She raises her right hand from Cullen's neck and extends the middle digit,"Fuck you Nessie. I really mean that." I wink at her,"Love you too Bell's, now get the fuck off my car and go screw in Cullen's shiny Vanquish so me and Jake can split." As we move to our cars, I can't help but laugh at the fact of how easy it was to relax after the screwed up night we'd all had. As long as we had our boys and each other, the Swan twins were invincible.

As I follow Bella and Edward back to his place doing a buck ten, Jake and I roll the windows down, open the moon roof, and blare Lily Allen's 'Fuck you' at top volume. We talk about what messed up things that were bound to happen on our next date, how Bella and Edward would manage getting past his bloodlust when it was Bella's time of the month, and exactly how much flea shampoo it was going to take per week to keep my werewolf flea-free. Jake, of course, made multiple jokes about how this redefined the whole concept of 'doggie-style for us. I almost crashed the Eclipse when he said it, but I managed to keep it on the road while smacking him soundly between fits of laughter that brought tears to my eyes. We are still chortling quite loudly when we come to a stop in front of Cullen's house. Jake lightly complains of the smell as we enter the mansion and wraps his arm around me, sniffing my hair often.

Carlisle and Esme are absolutely amazed to be greeted enthusiastically by my Jacob. Alice and Jasper greet us warmly and mention the possibility of all of us couples going out and doing something fun sometime soon to make up for the wreck of a date night the four of us had. Emmett won't stop laughing and making jokes, Rosalie simply sits at the far end of the giant living room, being vain and glowering at my boyfriend. I get tired of her attitude after about an hour of non-stop death stares out of her so I finally say something about it. "Can I ask you a question Rosalie?" She turns and looks at me, raising an eyebrow. "Is being a worthless rotten bitch something that comes natural or do you have to fake it as much as your hair color?" I ask incredulously. She snarls," Like letting a dog have their way with you makes you better than the rest of us? I should rip your arms off so your mongrel can play fetch with them." I bite down on my will, fighting back the urge to blow her into bits, then I stand up,"Let's go bitch, but when I win, you're never going to even think of looking at him cross-eyed let alone like the shit you've been pulling all morning," I fire back. She drops into a crouch and begins her leap when Emmett catches her around the waist. "Let her go!" I scream,"I'm fucking tired of her looking at me and Jacob like we're fucking inferior because we're not vampires! Let the bitch go because I'm going to rip her tits off for being such a fucking bitch! I WILL NOT fucking tolerate some stupid bitch who obviously is so fucking bitter about her own existence that she's only happy when she makes everyone as miserable as she fucking is!" At those words, Rosalie becomes as still as a statue, horror and shame filling her golden eyes. Emmett gives everyone an apologetic glance, then disappears with Rosalie in his arms.

Everyone else is staring at me. I smother my will and look around me just once. Esme has covered her mouth with her hand. Alice and Jasper's faces are blank. Carlisle's mouth is actually hanging open. Edward looks faintly amused. Bella's face is calm, she knew this would happen. Jacob's face is in his hands, he's trembling, not a good sign. I straighten myself up and announce," I am obviously no longer welcome, so I'll show myself out. I'm sorry that all of you had to hear that, but I'm not going to put up with anyone looking down at Jacob for simply existing. With that, adieu and farewell." I deliberately walk to the door, not looking around. I hear my sister whisper my name as I open the door and walk out, but I ignore it. Jake follows me, not speaking out loud, but his eyes are telling me volumes. He's smug because I'd stood up for him against vampire, scared about what that vampire might do to retaliate, furious that I'd picked a fight, proud that I'd picked a fight, and proud because his girl can take care of herself. He's going to lose it soon if I don't get us out of here.

Bella comes streaking out of the house just as we're getting into my car, Edward right behind her."Don't go Carlie!" she pleas, "You just have to learn to ignore Rosalie like everyone else does." I shake my head,"I shouldn't have to just ignore her and put up with her shit and I'm not going to. I don't give a flying fuck who the hell she thinks she is, but I am not going to just put my fucking head down and let her abuse Jacob like that! Fuck her and fuck her holier than thou attitude. If I wanted to be treated like shit, I'd just go back to Phoenix!" I slam the door in her face and turn the ignition. Edward steps in front of the car, shaking his head at me. The look of amusement is absent now, just a smooth mask of determination. "Move Edward," I growl, "I don't want to hurt my sister or my car by running your happy ass over." He shakes his head again and crosses his arms on his chest. "Cullen, I have to get out of here before I walk back into that house and rip her fucking head off or Jake flips out because I'm in danger here," I whine plaintively,"I have no real problems with any of the Cullen's but her at this point, but I will run you over if you don't let us leave. I seriously want to go fuck her day up, please let us go." I look in the rearview mirror and discover that Bella is standing behind the car, her stance mirroring Edward's.

Jake has his hands fisted in his hair, he's rocking back and forth while shaking violently. I reach across him and throw open the door, "Go Jake, before you phase in my car and kill us both," I whisper and give him a shove. He dives out of the car and phases immediately, shredding his clothes again, and is growling before his form even solidifies. I point at him, "Now do you see Cullen? I told you we needed to go, now he's in horrible pain because your scent actually burns their noses. He was doing everything he could to hold himself together while Rosalie kept glaring at us like she was going to kill us. I think we managed pretty damn well until now, don't you?" His mask falls away, replaced by confusion,"He's in pain?" He looks at Jacob. I don't try to hear what Jake is think at Edward, I'm so angry I feel like I could explode myself. Edward finally nods, then looks to Bella," Jacob has asked that Carlie stay here while him and I blow off some steam together." Jake's thoughts find their way to me *_Love, stay here. N__ot__ for me, n__ot__ for you. For Bella. She needs you right now. __Beside's__, you're so worn out, I'm afraid that you wouldn't be able to safely get home. Please, Nessie. He's promised that no one is going to mess with you or me. Emmett has taken Rosalie out of the house for a while so we can be comfortable. I'll be back in a little while. I need to calm down so I can change back. Edward's coming to hopefully desensitize me against their smell so it's n__ot__ so hard when I come back. Oka__y?_* My breath catches, I hadn't realized that I'd been crying. I wipe my face and nod *_Okay Jake, but please don't be gone too long. I'm afraid of what I'll do if I have to deal with that bitch again._* He nods*_I will be back as soon as possible honey. I love you_* "I love you," I choke out as I jump out of the vehicle and run to him. He nuzzles me gently until the worst of my sobs subside, then he licks my face chin to hairline. "Gross!,"I giggle and swipe at the wetness. He laughs his wolfy laugh and looks to Edward who nods and begins jogging off in the direction of the forest. *_Be good, my Nessie_* Jacob thinks at me as he pads off after Cullen.

I shut the car off and pocket my keys. I sit down on the hood and light a cigarette, focusing on returning my breathing to normal. Bella doesn't talk as she approaches and puts her arms around me. I lay my head on her shoulder as we watch our boys disappear into the green landscape. I can feel my mind trying to shut down. I haven't slept in over 24 hours, but I can't sleep now, not while he was gone. "What's a girl got to do to get a cup of coffee around here?" I ask to no one in particular. I know the Cullen's wouldn't have had time to cater to Bella and my addiction to the bitter brew, but I felt that I had to say something or I'd fall asleep leaning up against the car. Bella snickers as Esme comes out with two large white coffee mugs, a distinctive 'Mom' look on her face. She hands them over and wrings her hands before saying," Carlie, I just want you to know that we didn't condone Rosalie's words or actions in any way, we feel Jacob is a wonderful young man. On the same token, we don't fully approve of your words or actions either, there were many other ways to have dealt with the situation," I look at her and roll my eyes yet she soldiers on," Now before you get upset again, please realize that we understand people lose their tempers and sometimes it causes them to speak before thinking or understanding the consequences of their actions. If you can accept that, we would all be very relieved. Either way, do not ever believe that you or Jacob are unwelcome because you had an argument with one of us." I look at her and tears threaten to overflow again. Standing there, with that pleading look on her face, she suddenly reminds me of Mom. I turn my head and close my eyes, fighting against the tears and the sorrow enveloping me. "I'll try Esme, that's all I can promise," I blurt out, " I'm sorry that I was such a bitch." Esme quietly replies,"You promised to try, that's more than I'd hoped for." I think she walked away then because it was so quiet except for Bella and my breathing when I hear Esme's voice whisper,"Good job for standing up to her though. She doesn't have that happen often. I'll leave you girls to your coffee now. Feel free to come in when you're ready." I slide up onto the hood until my back touches the windshield, Bella follows soon after. We sit in silence, eyes closed and drinking our coffee while waiting for our soulmates to return from their little expedition.

"Jake's transferring to our school sometime next week," I quietly inform my twin."He's already talked to Billy and he's okay with it." I can hear Bella nod,"That will be good for both of you, being able to see each other all the time. Are you nervous?" I shake my head, "Not really. Real fucking excited though. He's doing this for us. I think I'm going to tell Charlie that we're going out too. I can't do anything as extravagent as change school's for him, but I can let the world know that I'm not ashamed of being with him." "What about the whole underage thing?" I shrug one shoulder,"Billy's already said that he would never press charges over us being a couple and, in case you didn't notice, Jake doesn't exactly look 15 sis. That will help a lot in the long run." "Can I ask a question Nessie?"she asks with a timid edge in her voice that means this could be unpleasant. "Fire away," I huff. "Edward was talking to his father about you and Jake and they mentioned something. Imprinting. Edward said that you are Jacob's imprint. What does that mean?" Great. Now she's going to flip out when she hears this shit. "It's a werewolf thing. A werewolf imprints on a person who is their soulmate. It's like love at first sight, but stronger, more binding. More permanent. The forever kind of permanent. Jake imprinted on me as soon as he saw me after he changed that first time." I wait for her to spazz out, but she doesn't. She just shrugs and says, "It sounds a lot like what Edward described about the day he met me. He said that the world disappeared for an eternity but came rushing back in a milisecond and he knew there would be no world for him without me. He admitted that it upset him at first because he didn't understand why he felt like that. He didn't understand until he came over to the house the day we destroyed the Volvo. We had an altercation in Biology earlier that day. He was more upset that he couldn't figure out how I had been able to trump his vampire strength and move his feet from that stupid chair than he was about the car. Yes, the car had meant something to him because Carlisle had bought it for him, but Edward wasn't used to not getting what Edward wanted. Especially out of a little human that for some reason, he couldn't resist. We were in the middle of the argument when he jumped up and kissed me. It shocked the heck out of us both because until that moment, we were desperately trying to hate each other. You see, he has that same strange hold over me as I do him. And then there's that current that runs across his skin. I swear all he has to do is be in the same room as I am and I can feel it. And when he touches me," she blows out a gust of air," It's heaven. I'm not being sexual or anything. It's just that when his skin touches mine, that electrical current amplifies a thousand-fold." I nod in agreement, "I know what you're talking about. Same thing happens between me and Jake. Like our bodies operate on the same frequency or some shit. I love the feeling of it. As soon as I feel that current, that humming, I'm home."

Luckily the rain doesn't come while we're lounging on my car. In fact, the sun actually breaks through the clouds and I decide it's going to be a nice day, no matter what comes. It helps a lot that I'm enjoying the time with my elder twin immensely. The Cullen's don't bother us except to refill our coffee mugs from under hooded jackets and sunglasses and to bring us out something to eat. Bella explains that they have to hide on sunny days because of their skin. She can't explain it very well, she admits, because she has yet to see what "it" is. I can't help but admire my sister as we talk. Her relationship is much more difficult than mine and Jake's on certain levels, but then her and Edward's is so much easier than mine and Jacob's on other levels. Tit for tat. I'd read that in a story once. An emotionally and physically damaged pair of teenagers trying to do the best with what life had given them. Were the parallel relationships that my sister and I were experiencing like that just a little? I thought so. But then again, I have a tendency to overreact. We also devise a plan for Charlie. We love him very much, but this world, our world isn't for him. We lived in a world of fairy tales and monsters, there was no black or white, just varying shades of grey. We also agreed that were going to have to find a place of our own for the sake of us all. We knew too many secrets that belonged to too many people, and those people had trusted us to keep them implicitly, so we were going to do what needed to be done to protect those that we loved. We certainly had enough money to live off of until we could decide our next move.

As soon as Bella and I had reached this agreement, Alice came running out of the house like her little, evil pixie ass was on fire. I swear that her grin would wrap all they way around her head if I dared to look. She was so full of energy that she was visibly vibrating as she stood before us. Bella just laughs,"What's up pixie?" Alice actually jumps up and down as she squeals,"This is going to be ssoo perfect! All three of us living in one big house! I already know the perfect place, Jasper and I were looking at it a while ago just for fun. It will be a nice change too, living in our own place, but close enough that we're still one big family! Don't look at me like that Bella, you know the thought is just too irresistible to pass up and Charlie will be less upset with the idea of three girls living together than just two, especially when one of them is as wealthy as me!" Bella rolls her eyes and whispers in my ear,"Just imagine the most hyperactive person you have ever met, now give them a Red Bull I.V. going about 10,000 drips a minute and you'll have someone with half the energy of Alice Cullen." Alice winks at my sister,"I love you too Bella Swan. I've already called the Realtor to start the paperwork, It will all be signed and finalized by the end of next week. We will be able to move in about 2 1/2 weeks, once everything' is cleaned up and redecorated to suit is better. We will start looking at design possibilities after lunch." Her eyes get a faraway look for a moment, then she smiles even bigger than I thought possible,"And your boy toys will be home in approximately 5 minutes and 36 seconds." I gawk at her,"I'm confused, I thought you couldn't see us?Werewolves or witches, I mean?" Alice laughs," I can't, but I talked to Edward on the phone before I came out here and everyone's future disappears right about then. So, why don't I get back inside so you two can enjoy your time?" She gives us both a hug and dances back into the house. As she enters the mansion I realize that I like Alice Cullen.

My twin and I look at each other, "Alice is going to be living with us?" we ask in unision, then break down into fits of laughter. We already know that life will never be dull with the evil pixie living under the same roof as us. We spend the next five minutes trying ot figure out how to tell our boys that we were striking out on our own and promising not to back down. This was our life after all, and we were already sure that Charlie would be content with our decision because of what Alice had seen. We could finally be ourselves, no more hiding what we are in our own home. It was a very comforting thought.

We catch ourselves when we hear voices coming from the forest. Edward and Jacob, who is in human form, are talking exuberantly about something. Both are on the verge of outright laughter also. Bella takes my hand and squeezes it, *_At least they're getting along Nessie_* I hear her thoughts. *_Imagine the looks that will be on their faces here in a few minutes_!* Bella, the shy wallflower, is actually excited about being out on her own! The whole thing is probably appealing to her rebellious streak that has being developing steadily the past few months.I snicker, *_And just think, no having to worry about Charlie barging in on you when you're getting down and dirty with Cullen!_* She blushes the color of a tomato. *_I win_* I think to her smugly.

"We thought you two would never come back after Carlie's little explosion,"; Bella says as Edward and Jacob reach us. ";We did come back my love, but you two were still talking and we didn't want to bug the shit out of you," Edward replies as he catches Bella as she falls off of the hood. I spring from the hood and into Jacob's arms, "You were playing nice with the vampire, right?" I tease. Jacob nods with a smirk, "I only ripped off the pieces that Bella could put back the way she wants. He is now officially a Mr. Potato-Head." Bella glares at him, but the rest of us just laugh. "Lunch time for the humans, oh, and the werewolf!" Alice's voice rings from the house. Jacob cocks an eyebrow at Edward who shrugs, "Esme doesn't know how not to be a mother, even if that means cooking up tons of disgusting human type foods. There might even be Alpo, Jacob, if you wipe your grimy paws when you go in." Jake chuckles, "Well, Alpo no doubt tastes a hell of a lot better than my cooking so let's do this!" He then swings me up over his shoulder and jogs into the house, taunting me over my weak punches to his back. I look up to see that Edward has mimicked Jake and is carrying Bella in the same fashion, she's squealing and threatening him with every smack to his marble torso. He keeps telling her to stop before she hurts herself.

We are deposited onto stools that sit against the kitchen island just as Esme is setting two plates down. We thank her and dig right in. It's delicious and we tell her so, all three of us. She watches us with a big smile on her face and proudly proclaims,"Edward and I have been watching the Food Network for the past week trying to be preemptive in making sure there was always food prepared for you Bella and now we get to share it with Carlie and Jacob as well!" We all blush at that one and mumble more 'thank you's' between bites of delicious chicken Alfredo. Jacob eats three heaping plates, eating mostly alone after the first 10 minutes as Bella and I couldn't finish our first helping. I don't want Jake to be alone, so I ask Esme if I could open the glass doors that lead out onto a patio and smoke their while watching Jacob stuff himself. While I'm outside, sitting quite comfortably in a padded hammock chair, Rosalie and Emmett walk passed the kitchen. She gives me an apologetic grimace type face as they walk by. Emmett just smiles and says to Rosalie,"I actually kind of like having humans in the house. At least those two girls. Bella never stops doing funny shit like falling down and Carlie is like a punked up/gothed out badger that loves picking fights with things bigger than her. It's hilarious Rose! And look at Jake this way, he might smell funny, but you won't ever have to worry about house-training him or swatting him with a newspaper for trying to hump your leg!" She gives him a low snarl that ends in a yelp when he scoops her up and carries her off at vampire speed.

"She' not nearly as pissed as she seems anymore, she's more in shock right now that there really is a human crazy enough out there to stand up to her while knowing what Rose is." I hear Edward's voice behind me. I turn and he's sitting on one of the luxurious patio chairs, feet up on a table, and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. I shrug, "It wasn't the point to piss her off Cullen. The point was to prove that her superior attitude was not going to fucking fly with me." He lifts an eyebrow at me, "Oh, so do you run around pissing off supernatual creatures all the time like that little blonde chick on tv?" "Who? Buffy?" He laughs, "Yeah, that's the one." "No, I don't have the basic criteria to be Buffy Summers. I'd have to own a lot cooler clothes and an inferiority complex, not to mention that Bella is the one with the vampire boyfriend. I think that may actually be a prerequisite for a modern vampire slayer." I answer, wondering why he is making such an effort to talk to me, then ask "Why are you trying to be so nice to me now Cullen? Trying to earn brownie points with my sister?" He winks," It never hurts to try. And, in all honesty, I've recently discovered that you're not nearly as big of a bitch as I first figured you'd be, though you really are the evil twin, hands down." My jaw drops,"Was that a compliment Cullen?" he runs his hands through his hair and sighs,"Think of it more as a peace offering Carlie. We both know that the longer we fight, the more Bella is hurt and neither of us want to hurt her, do we?" My shoulders slump,"No, we don't. I want her to be as happy as I am. And if that means dealing with," I grimace," You, then I'll just have to fucking deal with it." The truth was that as big of a jackass as he is, I was starting to like Edward Cullen. He made Bella happy, was fanatical about her safety, and was willing to be the biggest kiss ass on the planet to me, the twin, if that was what Bella wanted.

I look up at him and there is such a strange look on his face. ";What? Do I have food on my face or some shit?" I ask. He shakes his head,"I just realized something, that's all," he replies. "What did you realize Cullen? You were looking at me like I had just grown a third arm right in front of you or some shit." He chuckles,"Nah, if you'd started growing a third arm, I would have just went and got my video camera. And for what I realized? I am so goddamn grateful that there are at least two people in the fucking world that I can't hear anything of their thoughts and laughing at the irony of it because those two people happen to be the love of my life and her psychotic twin sister." I snicker,"Hey, Bella isn't the only one who's got the corner on the psycho sibling market." He nods and by the time Bella and Jake join us outside, we're laughing together over some of the less than stellar events that have occurred with our siblings like old friends. Bella rolls her eyes at the fact that Edward and I both cuss. A lot. But she seems amused at how easily our boys are getting along. In no time Alice and Jasper have made their way out and integrated themselves into the conversation too. Carlisle and Esme are reading together in the living room but occasionally voice their opinions as well. The sun is starting to get lower in the sky when Emmett comes out with a slightly bashful looking Rosalie shadowing him. He energetically launches himself into the conversation while Rosalie sits on one of the chairs and listens silently, her legs tucked underneath of her perfect body and reading a car magazine.

Eventually, I have to get ready to take Jake home and go to work. Jake is thrilled that things are turning out so much better than any of us hoped it would. When I tell him about Bella and my plan's to find a place of our own to live, his eyes take on a mischievous sparkle that reminds me of Alice. By the time I drop him off, he almost has me talked into letting him move in as soon as we're settled, just so we can spend more time together. Love is funny like that. Once it becomes a factor you can't think rationally anymore. Sprinkle that with a healthy dose of lust and your perspective on life is fucked up beyond all recognition. F.U.B.A.R. I was exactly that, and loving every minute of it.

**(Unknown ****POV****)**

After thoroughly searching the house and learning all that I could from the meager domicile, I was positive that the two adolescent females would be better suited sitting at my feet while I held their leashes. Perfect little pets, both beautiful and deadly. The older human male was a minor annoyance, and would be easy to dispose of. The females guardians would pose a larger challenge, one that I found myself looking forward to. It had been so long since I had found something worth expending my talents on. Ever since one of my coven had encountered the vampire Tanya, who was furious over one of the Cullen's intimate relations with a human and then became enraged when the newborn werewolf had been accepted with eagerness, we had been becoming educated to the Cullen's and their coven's special abilities. When Tanya's 'sister' Irina became attached to another member of my coven, the pact had been solidified. Both of them were disgusted with the coven's blatant spiral into idiocy over two little human females and their pet werewolf.

I watch the younger of the human twins as she gets out of her blue car and skips into the hospital and I feel the venom flood into my mouth as the wind carries her scent to me. Mouthwatering. I can feel my body's inherent male reaction as well and embraced it. These females intrigued me beyond the normal quarry. I didn't desire them only as a source of sustanence. It was that unique scent that drove me on. Instead of letting my instincts take over, I had reigned them in. I only later realized how much I craved the female's, how I yearned to wrap their scent around me. It was maddening when I had to jerk myself out of daydreams where they now ruled. That hasn't happened against my will for so many years. Not since the little deranged female those years ago. The one that got away. The only one.

Victoria was upset over my complete distraction, but when I had let the two newborns have their way with her, she silenced for a time. She had no idea about my fixation with the twins nor did she suspect that her days were numbered. I'd grown tired of her and her childish antics many years ago, only tolerating her for her ability to find an escape route out of anywhere. Soon I could be rid of her and that awful annoying voice permanently. Then I would be free to keep my twins at my feet, naked and open to my whims on a moments notice. I swallowed back the venom and the tightness in my pants, cataloging the sensations for later when I had Victoria or the newborn, Bree, panting under me.

**Okay, now we're beginning to see that though sunshine and daisies are really nice, not everything is the fairy tale that the Swan girls believe. I really really need reivews guys and gals.**

**I still need thoughts on which car to give Edward, choices are on my profile!**

**If you're liking my story, recommend it to your friends. I know it isn't the most well-written story, but I like it. I hope those who find it do too. Not too many hits the past few days though and it's made me think more than once of just giving up. I admit it. If I don't start getting some more hits and reviews I just may give in and accept that I am a horrible story teller.**

**Sorry about the pity party, but I'm feeling VERY discouraged right now**.


	17. Part 17 Playing House

You know the drill. I own nothing copyrighted and shit; just a fan here. I'm just borrowing all copyrighted material to make me look better....is it working? Leave me a review and tell me how I'm doing.

Thank you to everyone who has left me reviews telling me how much they like this story!!! You have given me the kick in the ass I needed to keep going with this!!!! I 3 you!!!!!!

Big fucking lemon this chapter. If you're underage, run away. If you're not, get ready for some fun! Hope I did it justice.

**Rogue Traders- Voodoo Child --**

Baby, baby, baby You are my voodoo child, my voodoo child

You're like voodoo baby You just take hold Put your cards on the table baby Do I twist, do I fold You're like voodoo honey All silver and gold Why don't you tell me my future Why don't I sell you my soul So here it comes, the sound of drums Here come the drums, here come the drums

* Baby, baby, baby You are my voodoo child, my voodoo child Don't say maybe, maybe It's supernatural, i'm coming undone

[Repeat *]

You're like voodoo baby Your kisses are cold Feel your poison running through me Let me never grow old

You're like voodoo honey My picture you stole You play me like a puppet Sticking pins in a doll So here it comes, the sound of drums Here come the drums, here come the drums

[Repeat *]

Woo! Here come the drums, here come the drums

[Repeat *]

Baby, baby, baby You just take hold Don't say maybe, maybe Do I twist do I fold

**Part 17**

**Playing House**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

"Fuck! Stupid, annoying hammer!" I gasp as I stick my right thumb in my mouth." Ow! Shit!" I yelp as I drop the hammer on my left foot. I grab it with my free hand, trying to rub it and hop to my bed at the same time. I stumble over the new blue rug that resembles the one in Edward's room . Before my face can connect with the hardwood floor though, impossibly strong and pale hands catch me. "Um, sorry to tell you this love, but I am beginning to seriously believe that I am fighting the Fates to keep your cute little ass alive," Edward chuckles as he wraps me in his cold embrace, "What in the hell were you doing anyways, aside from the mating dance of the desperately uncoordinated and talking dirty to get my attention?" His golden eyes sparkle with mirth and I feel myself being drawn in by them. Spots start forming in my vision. "Breathe Bella," he whispers, bringing me back to reality. "I, um, was just trying to hang up that picture," I blurt out," and the damn hammer attacked me." I glare at the offending tool as it lies on the floor, looking so innocent now."Tools are definitely out to assassinate me today." I snort. He plants a kiss on top of my head and sets me down on my brand new king sized bed. After examining my thumb and foot and determining that neither are serious injuries, he says,"I'll hang up your picture, but be very still and don't make any sudden moves, I heard hammers can be vicious creatures." Edward laughs and retrieves the tool. I throw a pillow at him,"Jerk." "Sure, sure," he replies with the phrase Jacob uses when he's humoring someone. I raise my middle finger in his direction. "You're number one Edward,"I grumble. He snickers harder as he gets the nail and pounds it into the wall. He then picks up the picture in question and runs his fingers over it once before hanging it. It's a picture of my parents, Carlie, and myself that was taken last Christmas. Alice had found a beautiful frame for it after she had overheard Edward and I talking about which picture of my family to hang up. I knew I wanted something of my parents to be out where I can see it at my leisure, but had been having problems deciding. He'd chosen the picture after I couldn't bring myself to, explaining he enjoyed seeing me with my human family.

He turns with an eyebrow cocked, waiting for my approval. I smile and nod, then pat the bed beside me. He beams that crooked smile at me and dives on the bed. He takes my wounded thumb and starts lightly kissing my whole hand. I know he is attempting a silent apology that coincides with comforting my injured digit. Asshole Edward had been in full swing all week because Alice had roped all of the guys into arranging and rearranging things in our new place until she felt she had achieved maximum impact and comfort. Last night, when we had been getting the last of our things out of the moving truck and into our rooms, I had accidentally dropped a box with an obscene amount of cd's that Edward had gotten for me and then broke a few when I fell on them. Edward had yelled at me for being so clumsy, asking if I was trying to kill myself. I had screamed back at him, asking if it was too much of an inconvenience having a clumsy girlfriend and if it was, he knew where he could go. I had stormed back into the house without waiting for an answer, covered in mud and debris. Everyone had seen our exchange and just stared at me, wide-eyed, as I had left Edward stunned into silence. I had felt awful as soon as I had said those things, but in that moment, I had truly believed that I was a burden to him. Edward was always so graceful and I'm so clumsy that I'm practically disabled.

He had found me, sitting on the pantry floor, organizing the nonperishables by type. My eyes were swollen from bawling like a baby and my hair was sticking up all over the place, but he hadn't cared. Edward had simply sat down beside me and pulled me into his lap. We sat there for an hour while he rocked me gently and hummed my lullaby to me. Our peaceful moment came crashing down when the pantry door had been jerked open and a five-gallon bucket of ice-cold water was thrown on us by Emmett. Edward had once again flipped his asshole switch when he was laughing so hard that he could barely explain that I looked like a drown cat. I had stalked off, slamming our bedroom door in his face when he'd rushed to apologize. I hadn't spoken to him since then. It mostly was because after I had put dry clothes on I had fallen asleep on the black leather couch that had once graced Edward's bedroom at the other house. He was moving some of his things here so it would feel more like our room instead of just my room, even if he did not stay all the time. When I'd woken up, he'd disappeared, so I had starting putting our belongings away. He still hadn't returned when I'd finished with that and so had moved onto hanging my pictures. What a disaster it had turned into.

"What are you thinking?" he asks, eyeing my expression. I blush and look down at the comforter,"How much of an idiot I was to lock you out of the bedroom, you look so good on my bed." He nuzzles my neck and kisses the soft spot just below my ear before growling, "No, if anyone looks good on our bed, it is most definitely you Miss Swan. You should be named the 8th Deadly Sin because everything you are is so damn sinfully delicious." I blush even deeper and he distracts me with those addictive kisses of his. When I pull away to catch my breath, I notice his eyes are dark again, he is thirsty and filled with lust. Bad combination. I touch the circles beneath his eyes, "You need to hunt. Soon." He takes my hand and kisses the palm before nodding,"Alice, Jasper, and I are going tonight. Emmett and Rosalie are going to babysit the three of you while we're gone." My smile falls away,"Babysit? We're not toddlers Edward. How much trouble can be found while we're putting our stuff away?" He holds my thumb up, there is a large dark spot under the nail now."That's not life-threatening Edward, don't be ridiculous." I make to get off the bed and he snakes his arms around my waist and pulls me onto his chest,"Don't go, not yet Bella. Stay with me. Please. I missed lying beside you last night." he begs.

I just let myself collapse against him. Since that first night, Edward has spent every night in my bed, keeping me safe, even in my dreams. I had missed him last night too. The dreams had returned, though not as vivid as they could have been. His scent permeating from his couch probably helped stave off the worst of them. I hated sleeping without Edward now because when I slept alone, I kept having these horrible nightmares that I was running, but this time it wasn't to save my parents. It was to save myself from a red eyed monster that hunted me in my slumber.

Edward rubs small circles on my back as we lay there holding one another. He makes the occasional comment about how pleased he was to see this room baring similiarities to the one at his parents and mentions how surpirsed he is that Alice had actually let me get away with it. Alice and I had an interesting discussion on it. I loved the theme of Edward's room and wanted to mimic it for a few reasons. One, it would make Edward more comfortable being familiar to him. Two, Edward's room felt safer to me than anywhere else in my life and I was hoping to carry some of that feeling into this room. And lastly, I really wanted it and threatened to paint my walls plaid if she didn't let me do as I pleased with my own bedroom. She had conceded when I explained the second and third reasons, but informed me that it would be a different color and not an exact replica. The color's were going to be navy, ivory, and silver because blue was Edward's favorite color on me and ivory because it would remind Edward of my pale skin. The silver accents were just because it looked good against the other tones. I'd agreed eagerly before Alice could change her mind.

There is a gentle knock on the door. *_Carlie and Jake_* Edward thinks to me. "Come in sis," I mutter against his chest, not bothering to move from my little piece of heaven. The door opens and Carlie pads in, followed by her russet-skinned lover. Jake sits on the bed, his back up against one of the heavy bed posts and Carlie lays on her side across the bottom of the bed, her head resting in Jake's lap, his finger's automatically weaving themselves into her dark locks. "Morning," Carlie chirps as she settles herself in, "Who won? You or the hammer?" I chuckle and nod my head towards my boyfriend,"The vampire. He dazzled the damn thing into submission." Carlie raises an eyebrow,"You must feel pretty damn intense about it, you're actually cussing Bell's." I lightly kick her shin, "Kiss my ass Nessie. I mean that in the most loving way." She laughs,"Fuck you Bellsie, I mean that in the most loving way as well. So, what's on the menu today?" I can't help myself," You means besides us Happy Meals? I have no idea. I don't have to work till later and I haven't been assaulted by the Decoration Nazi, I mean Alice, yet." We all laugh at the name everyone has been calling Alice since the day she had jumped us and pulled us into her decorating frenzy."I heard that Bella!" I hear Alice yell from downstairs. It only makes us laugh harder.

I personally thought some of Alice's motives behind this move was to wean her family off of their dependence of her visions, but haven't and won't say a word about it. I knew that it was difficult for her not being able to see Carlie and my future's. It even bothered her when she couldn't see Jake's. She was making an effort to be a teenager in love instead of a walking fortune cookie and I was happy for her. When she disappeared sometimes to get out of our range, we knew it was to check on other events with her sight, and we didn't get in her way. She was possibly attempting to retrain her sight to see around us. We just loved our evil pixie whether she had visions or not.

We sit together and talk, just enjoying each others company. Alice and Jasper join us, taking over the couch instead of trying to cram onto the bed. At some point during one of Edward and Jaspers' 'No shit, there I was' stories, Carlie and my eyes meet. *_This is happiness_* Carlie thinks to me. *T_his is what we have been searching for our entire lives. A place where we felt whole. Even wi__th__ Mom and Dad we never fully fit together so seamlessly. We didn't fit because we spent so much time trying to blend in and be normal. We're not normal sis and neither are the amazing people who make us whole_.* Then she closes her eyes and squeezes herself to Jacob, who returns the gesture. She was right though, despite the nightmares and being left without parents, this, our life, was perfectly suited to us. We were whole and happy and, most of all, loved by our unusual family.

After a few hours, we are pulled out of our bubble and dragged outside by Emmett to play paintball with the family. Carlisle, Esme, and even Rosalie have come to play. Carlie and Jake swiftly drive down to La Push and get Jacob's two best friends and the antics begin. Between the pranks and wrestling between the boys, I'm surprised that they find time to use 3 five gallons buckets full of paint balls. This display of insanity almost makes me late for work. If it weren't for Edward's supernatural reflexes and aptitude on a motorcycle, I would have been.

Emmett is waiting for me after work with his jeep. It looks like someone had try to turn it into a mobile mud pie. "What happened to your baby Emmett?" I inquire as he sets me onto the passenger seat. He laughs his booming laugh," Rose and me took the other kid's out to play in the mud all afternoon! It was awesome! I think we've got 'em hooked Bells!" He is smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. He's in the jeep in a flash, starting his beast and grinning when it roars to life, then strokes the dashboard lovingly for a moment before punching the gas. "What is it with vampire's and the overwhelming urge to die going insane speeds Emmett?" I ask between clenched teeth. Driving with Edward was like driving with Charlie in comparison to Emmett's approach. Emmett drove like a lunatic. "Aw, come on Bella, I don't drive that bad." he whines as the speedometer falls down to about 90 mph, "You just gotta understand that we're always trying to recreate the way we feel when we run. When we run, we don't have to hold back any of our strength. We spend most of our lives doing our damnedest not to break anything around us so we look forward to the freedom of running full tilt. We just don't always have the option to run. When we don't, we drive, and well, we do our best to drink in that sliver of freedom that we feel surge through us. Please don't think we do it just because we have some kind of idiotic death wish because it's the exact opposite. We feel more alive." I am so shocked I can't even respond. Most of the time when Emmett talked and it wasn't laughing at me for being clumsy, it was sex jokes and video games. To hear him speak like an actual adult with a carefully formulated answer was mind boggling. Maybe Emmett wasn't such a delinquent as I thought. "Besides, driving is a lot like really good sex Bells, you get all pumped up and just enjoy the ride because you never know what's coming." he laughs. Yep, he really was that big of a delinquent. "Are you sure Rosalie doesn't get jealous of your jeep Emmett?" I ask. He shakes his head, still laughing, "No, she doesn't get jealous. I reintroduce them almost every week via the backseat." I grimace, "Ew, Emmett! That is so gross! I am never sitting in that backseat ever again." We spend the ride home poking fun at each other, each joke more crude than the last.

"Bells, in the kitchen!" my sister yells as we get in the door. Emmett ruffles my hair, removes his shoes, and goes to the living room where the 60 inch plasma and Playstation 3 await his itchy fingers. I take off my own and set them beside his."Wow, how'd you ever remember that Emmett?" I ask as I go to my sister, knowing he could hear me. "Alice threatened to have Rosalie make him a monk for a month if he got the floors filthy again,"Carlie answers for the big teddy bear. Emmett grumbles, but doesn't deny it. A tantalizing smell catches me. Carlie's Lamb Stew. My mouth starts watering. "Carlie Elizabeth, are you making lamb stew?" I inquire as innocently as I can as I enter the Italian-inspired kitchen. Carlie is working over little mounds of dough, carefully molding them into bread bowls. Her apron is streaked with ingredients and there is flour on her left cheek. Jake is by the stove, meticulously stirring something in a pot. "I know it's going to be colder tonight Bells, and wanted everyone to have a warm dinner in them,"Carlie answers, her smile bright.

"Don't go microwaving my food wench!" howls Emmett. Carlie ducks her out out of the kitchen, "Fuck you Hops with Kangaroo's!" Jake bursts out laughing at the odd name. "Hops with Kangaroo's?" I ask as I start working a piece of dough. Carlie nods,"Yeah, Emmett got busted on a prank and went streaking through the house wailing that he was moving to Australia with the kangaroo's so Edward wouldn't kill him." Jake interjects,"Edward was chasing him with a chainsaw screaming 'You'd better run Hops with Kangaroo's or I'm dicing your dumbass!" I'm confused. "What kind of prank did Emmett pull?" Carlie winces as she admits,"Edward brought one of his prized piano's here, this afternoon after you went to work, and Emmett took all of the wires out and replaced them with cherry Pull-and-Peel Twizzlers." Wow."What kind of piano was it that it made him so upset?" She rolls her eyes. "It was a Bosendorfer. You know, like the kind Tori Amos plays?" I nod and wave her on. "Well, him and I were talking about music and I told him that we liked Tori and your favorite song from her was Little Earthquakes. He immediately knew who she was. Said he enjoyed her music because it was truly original. I was shocked when he told me that he had a Bosendorfer piano and would have it brought here so he could play it for you."

He wanted to play for me? I almost pulled a twelve year old girl thing and swooned right then."Wow." was all I could muster for a response. Carlie and Jake chuckle and let the subject drop, despite my burning curiosity. I let them, for now."So Jake, nervous about starting at a new school tomorrow?" I ask conversationally as I put my bread bowl on the pan with the others and brush it with seasoned olive oil. "A little," he qualifies, "I'm worried about all kinds of shit going wrong and getting kicked out the first day." I look at his back. Geez, I bet he's grown six inches in the past month, and probably put on 15-20 lbs of pure muscle. He didn't look 15 at all. My sister was going to have to beat Lauren and her herd of flunkies off of him with a lead pipe. "It won't be that bad sweetheart," Carlie answers him,"I'll protect you. Promise." She bounds over and leans up for a kiss. A kiss that deepens and makes my heart pang for Edward. After a minute, I clear my throat,"Um, if that stew burns, I'm going to have me a wolfy rug to keep me warm Jacob." He laughs as he pulls away from my twin,"Yes Ma'am!" he gives me a cocky military-style salute and returns to overseeing the stirring of the stew. Carlie and I get the bowls in the oven and I offer to take over watching the stew for a while.

Carlie and Jake walk out to the sunroom that sits off of the kitchen so she could smoke. It actually stretches down the entire length of the house. Alice already had it filled with aromatic house plants and water fountains at each end. I grumbled a bit about the plants, it was like bringing in the ocean of green right into the house and it was annoying. I didn't mind so much now, after seeing the exotic blooms from all over the world. I was looking forward to snuggling up with a good book on one of the uber plush sofa's that were cradled amongst the flora. I imagined it again now with a slight difference. Listening to Edward playing his piano while I read Romeo and Juliet. It sounded so romantic and domestic all at once. I giggled to myself. Who would have thought that the jerk with the leather jacket and crotch rocket who had given me the death glare would be the one I was having these day dreams about with the knowledge that it would happen or that I would love that fact? My mind gets so jumbled at that moment that I have to mentally slap myself back to reality.

I watch Carlie and Jacob, acting as big of fools in love as Edward and I did when we were home. We still mostly avoided each other at school, but it had become more difficult since we all started sitting together at lunch. Edward was actually tired of hiding, but didn't want any trouble for me, being one of the new girls, having caught the most desirable guy to grace the halls of Fork's High. There had already been another incident with Lauren and her 'Fuctard Brigade' as Edward calls them. Carlie and I had been getting into her car after school and Lauren had pretended to fall into Edward's motorcycle. Edward had caught her before she could take out the bike. She'd spent the next three days bragging that Edward had taken her out and showed her what his bike could do, inferring heavily on sexual antics. Carlie had heard the rumor before I and had pounced on Lauren in the parking lot after school Thursday before last. She didn't even give Lauren a reason as to why she was getting beat up. I had tried pulling my sister off of her until Carlie showed me what Lauren had been saying.

It took Edward, Jasper, and Emmett to get the both us off of her after that. Neither my sister or I could technically be suspended because it had happened after school and my sister had dragged her across the lot and onto the sidewalk just off of school property before tearing her a new one. I had never been in a fight with anyone other than my sister before that day. I was so ashamed and yet proud of myself afterwards, even with Edward scolding us both for fighting for his sake. He had told my twin that he was 'fucking honored' that she'd fight for him, but that it had been completely unnecessary. He waited until we were in private to tell me what he'd really thought about my involvement. He'd kissed me senseless, eyes dark with lust, in between saying "That was so hot! My girl fucking some chick's day up over me!" or, "You shouldn't have done that but you are so sexy when you're pissed off like that!" I'd basked in it. No one was going to mess with my boyfriend, even if I had to resort to violence to prove my point. I blush at the thought. Only Edward could bring out my violent tendencies and it didn't matter what it was about when it concerned him either.

I look at the fading bruises on my knuckles and smile. I had been the one to break her nose. There really was that satisfying crunch when I'd connected with her face. I had also managed not to get sick over the blood until Carlie and I were on our way home. My little sister just couldn't stop smiling at me and asking, "Now you see why fighting is so much fun? So much better than Anger Management classes, those things just piss me off." No one had put together the true reason's for our altercation with Lauren. Most people assumed that it was because Alice was my best friend and one of Carlie's closest friends, other than Mischa and Allen, and Edward was Alice's brother. People already knew that Carlie and I did not get along with Lauren to begin with. All in all, it blew over more quickly than any of us thought it would. Edward informed us on that Friday that there were a number of students that thought what we had done was admirable mainly because Lauren had been hideous with so many people. They didn't care about why it had been done, which suited us just fine.

"Stew's done you two, time to put your clothes back on," I call out as I turn the gas off and move to check on the bread bowls. They come back in, slightly disheveled and giggling. Jacob sets the table and Carlie gets our drinks while I pull the bowls out and start filling them with the hearty stew. Conversation flows like wine as we eat, giving Jacob pointers on what to expect his first day. He is staying the night because Carlie is taking him to the school in the morning so she can help him sort out his schedule and such. After this week, she will just leave earlier for school so she can pick him up. One of us will be dropping him off after school when Carlie works. Twice a week Carlie will be bringing him home so she can tutor him. One of Billy's terms, Jacob's grades must stay at least a B average or it's a deal breaker and he goes back to school on the reservation with or without his imprint.

When dinner is done and the mess is cleared up, we end up playing Dance Dance Revolution with Emmett. I mainly watch, too afraid of death by video game to participate much. Carlie gets the hint and turns on the stereo instead so we can all dance like idiots and have a good time. The first song is 'Unlikely (Stay With Me)' from Celldweller. It reminds me of Edward for some reason. I imagine him here, watching me dance. I move like I'm dancing for him. I probably look like an idiot, but I don't care right then.

One of my favorite songs, 'Zion' from Fluke, is playing, my head's thrown back, eyes closed, and just letting myself feel the music when I feel a pair of cold hands on my hips,"Don't stop,"Edward whispers in my ear, his velvet voice unusually husky. He pulls my body back against his and begins to move in sync with me. I don't open my eyes, but my breathing gets a little faster as the current between us amplifies.

I can feel his hardness pressing into me as we dance and it drives me to exaggerate the writhing of my hips more. I lift my arm up and reach behind me, wrapping it around his neck and into his hair. One of his hands lifts from my waist and his fingers begin trailing up and down the bare flesh of my raised arm. His electric touch sends shivers through my body. I let my head fall back against his chest as we dance, our undulations becoming more intimate as the driving beats spurn us on. I run my free hand through my hair and clench a handful, effectively keeping my hair out of my sweat-shined face. I start worrying he'll stop when the song ends, but Carlie becomes my wingman, immediately going into 'Frozen' from Celldweller. Every time the female voice moans and sings "Let's go" I press myself to him harder as I twist against him. He notices and mimics my movements by pulling my hips into him, making my breath hitch every time.

Carlie saves me again by not letting the music stop, instead moving right into the Sneaker Pimps remix of 'Spin Spin Sugar'. About halfway through the song something changes. He kisses my neck and holds me tighter to him while grinding against me. And then comes my undoing. He emits a low growl while kissing the back of my neck. The hand in his hair automatically tightens and pulls his head into my neck harder. The world falls away and there is nothing but him. His hand slides from around my waist, under my shirt, and onto my bare stomach, right at the waistband of my jeans. His breathing quickens and when he breathes on the side of my neck, the chilled air flows down my shirt and washes over my breasts, creating an instant throbbing. I emit a low whimper. "Shh angel, or I'll have to stop,"Edward whispers as his lips trail across my collarbone.

By the time the music changes to the 'Blood Rave' techno mix from the Blade movie, my skin is slick with sweat and I'm panting from exertion and desire. His fingers have slid under the waistband of my jeans, tips resting just under the hem of my underwear which are situated very low on my hips. The current flares when the tips brush my mound as we move against one another. I drop my hand from my hair and place it over the hand on my stomach, urging him to continue. His fingers move lower as we dance until his index finger rests on the crease of my folds. "You're so wet," he moans into my ear. My hips twitch in response to his moan, causing a flame of pleasure to rip through my body.

The song changes again. 'Rev 22:20' from Puscifer. He slides his finger between my folds and against that little cluster of nerves. He doesn't move it as we dance, instead letting our writhing create the friction. I bite back my whimpers as he slides a second finger down, trapping that cluster between them as we dance. The friction against my center refuses to let my hips stop moving, instead making me move a little faster, a little more forceful. Each sway of my hips shoots another flame through me. His head is resting on my shoulder, lips pressed against my skin. I can feeling my insides tightening, driving me on at a frantic pace. His lips graze my neck and the moment I feel his tongue glide across my skin, I break. He holds me tight as my body trembles, never stopping our dancing, while I ride the waves of my climax. I can think of only one thing. Edward. I hear myself moan his name.

As soon as his name escapes my lips, I hear him growl, feel myself picked up, and the air swirl around me. His lips crash into mine as he runs at vampire speed to our room. He kicks the door closed and reaches down to lock the door without breaking our kiss. I find the will to light the candles around us with a wave of my hand as it finds its way into his bronze hair. He lowers us onto the bed so that I am straddling him. He breaks the kiss long enough to whisper in my ear, "Take it off," he tugs on my shirt," or I rip it off." I pull my shirt off and return to kissing him. I feel a pull and hear a tearing sound, then my breasts are free and his hands are gathering them up. I remember to warm his skin just enough that I won't shiver from an icy touch as he runs his hands over my aching peaks. He moans into my mouth at the warming sensation running over his body. I can feel his hardness twitch against me and my hips respond by grinding into it. Another bout of tearing and I am naked on top of him. I pull at his shirt and he quickly disposes of it.

I slide my hands down his bare chest, scraping my nails along his skin. He moans again and his hips buck under me. I can hear 'Ready, Steady, Go' from Paul Oakenfold playing loudly from downstairs. Carlie is silently cheering us on. My lips curve into little smile at that thought. I lean down and graze my teeth against each of his nipples as I unhook his belt and jeans. He fists his fingers into my hair and his head falls back,"That feels so fucking good," he gasps so I bite down on his nipple at flick my tongue over it while I pull his jeans and boxers off. He lifts his hips to accommodate me, his member springing free, twitching as the flesh of my stomach brushes against it. I am overcome with a need to taste him so I make my way down his muscled stomach with biting kisses until it grazes my cheek. I lean back just enough to let my breath wash over it, eliciting a much louder moan from Edward. Then he pulls my head up to look at his face, "Only if you want to angel," he whispers, giving me a way out. I respond by sticking my tongue out and gliding it up the length of his shaft. His eyes roll back in his head and a hiss escapes him, but then he refocuses on me as I run my tongue all over his hardness. I flick the head with my tongue and his hips buck slightly."Bella," he moans. The song changes. 'I'm Your Favorite Drug' Porcelain and the Tramps. My sister is good. I kiss the tip and then slide him into my mouth with agonizing slowness. He moans aloud this time and his fingers tighten in my hair, but he does nothing to quicken my pace. I concentrate on my movements, massaging him with my tongue as I go. Soon his breathing is loud and ragged and his hips are twitching in response to my every move. I look into his topaz eyes and see the lust completely overtaking him.

Suddenly his hands leave my hair and he is pulling me upwards to meet his growling kiss. His hardness brushes my mound and I moan into him. "I need you Edward," I gasp against his lips. "In the nightstand, get the box," he whispers. I move farther up his body, open the drawer, and pull out the box of condoms. Then his mouth is on my nipple and I involuntarily buck against him. One of his hands captures my other breast and rolls my nipple between his fingers. His other hand palms my mound, his fingers seeking my entrance and once finding it, slides two digits in. I hiss my pleasure in reaction to being filled by something. He slides them in and out with the rhythm of his sucking. "More," I moan and he inserts a third finger. I can feel my wetness dripping from his fingers and onto his shaft. "Oh Edward, don't stop," I breath as his tempo increases. I can feel my walls tighten around his fingers as I climax again. He suddenly lifts me up and pulls my hips over his face. He lowers me down and I feel his tongue enter my quivering tunnel. His fingers find their way back to my nerve center and begin massaging it. I can feel him press his lips around my entrance, sealing it with his mouth. Then he starts sucking gently as he swirls his tongue. The song changes again. 'Transylvanian Concubine' from Rasputina. One of our songs. "More," I whimper then start bucking my hips to his increasing cadence, losing myself in the sensations. I lean back, resting my hands on his stomach for stability. His free hand moves in between each nipple, making each stand proudly before moving to the other. I can feel it building and my hips being to move of their own accord. Our moaning and panting fill the air, and for some reason, I like the sounds coming out of us. Then he pinches my center and I soar over the edge, a cry escaping my lips this time. He pins my hips in place, drinking in my wetness.

When I stop spasming wildly, he gently lifts me from his face and reaches over his head. He rips the box open and pulls out one of the sleeves. 'Coming Undone' from Korn filters through the air as he rolls it on. "Edward hurry," I gasp as he grabs my hips again and begins maneuvering me into the correct position. "I have to be gentle with you, my love," he whispers. Need overwhelms my brain and I slam down onto him with a snarl. I climax again as soon as he fully enters me, my body quivering madly. I cry out again, consumed by the sensations of finally being filled by him. "Are you okay angel?" Edward asks, concern tainting his voice. The pain is foggy, on my peripheral. I answer by rocking against him. Hard. He growls and he begins moving me with his hands, yet letting me control the pace. I lean back again, my hands on his thighs this time, and let myself go, bucking wildly, crying out his name over and over. He scoots us down until his feet touch the floor, then he begins matching my thrusts with his own. "You're so fucking tight and wet," He groans through clenched teeth, "You feel so damn good Bella, so fucking good wrapped around me. God, I love you so much." Between his words and the sounds of our skin slapping together, I have yet another crashing climax. My internal spasms send Edward over the edge. "Bella," he moans my name as his hips start bucking erratically. I match his frantic rhythm, determined to find release together. "Wait for me,"I gasp, pumping my hips harder and faster against him. "Edward," I finally cry out and his hips spasm against mine. He pulls my face to his until our lips touching, and we whimper into each other, "I love you," as we ride our climaxes out together.

As the quivering begins to subside, Edward slides us up into a more comfortable position on the bed. I lean forward until my torso is pressed against his, head under his chin. On hand snakes its way back up into his hair and the other lays flat on his chest, right over his silent heart. He pulls the blankets up over us then rests his head on one arm as his other plays with the tendrils laying across my lower back. "I love you Edward," I whisper. He presses his lips to my hair, "I love you Isabella."

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

I tear my eyes from the ceiling above as Jake pulls me close to his chest. All of us are wearing a triumphant grin at the words just spoken in my sister's room. We had accomplished the impossible, as far as I was concerned. Bella and Edward had lost their inhibitions and finally let go of their fears."I told you it would work, and I didn't need any freaky vampire visions to tell me so" I laugh. Alice's giggling floats over the music, Jasper is whispering in her ear. Jake starts moving us with the rhythm of the music,"Who would have thought dancing to music could be such a sensual experience?" he remarks. "Me," I reply and rub against him a little harder. Alice and Jasper are dancing and laughing as well. Emmett threw Rose over his shoulder and ran off right after Edward had taken Bella upstairs. All four of us are pleased with our work. We had put poor Jasper through torture, keeping track of their emotions while Alice, Jake, and I scrambled to find music that kept the level of intensity up. I wrap my arm's around Jake's neck as we move. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jasper and Alice slip out of the room, no doubt where they're headed.

Jacob and I are in no hurry, just enjoying the feeling of our bodies moving to the music pouring out of the sound system. "I wonder if we're going to have to do this every time,"Jake ponders with a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "I wouldn't mind," I reply,"because those two aren't the only ones who are reaping the benefits of our hard work." I lift my head to him and he presses his lips to mine, knowing what I wanted. "Love you," he whispers when we part. "Love you too, now it's time to put the werewolf to bed, he has a big day tomorrow." I inform him and he makes a face," Are you sure we have to be good?" I nod sadly,"Yes dear, you need your rest. We can't have you accidentally phasing in front of the student body because you're tired and cranky." He lays his cheek against my head,"Okay, but I'm not going to like it." I chortle,"Maybe I should sleep on the couch then and remove temptation." He tightens his grip, "Fuck that! I'm not letting you out of my sight until we have to go to class tomorrow." I kiss his shoulder,"Alright then, time for bed."

We turn shut down the sound system then wander through the house hand in hand, turning off unnecessary lights. We know that the vampires will be up during the night, but we also realize that they don't need the lights to navigate their way through the rooms. As we reach the stairs, Jake leans down and picks me up, bridal style, and carries my to our room. The rich earth tones colliding with the green hues of the forest make the room warm and inviting. Jake laughs and tosses me onto the bed from about 10 feet away. I land in the middle, bouncing slightly, "You know, you're a jackass," I growl as he rifles through his bag and digs out his pajamas. "Sure, sure," he snickers and walks into the bathroom. I slide off the bed and head to my dresser to find my own nightwear. Emerald green satin cami and matching shorts, this will torment him to no end, I laugh to myself and begins changing. After Jake opens the door, I carry my dirty clothes into the bath and toss them in the hamper. We conduct our bedtime ritual in comfortable silence, like we have been doing this years, not days. Afterwards, I set the alarm that is on my side of the bed. Jake has already warned me about his hatred of alarm clocks and I didn't feel like replacing alarms and end stands on a regular basis, so it ended up on my side by default. I'm not fond of alarms either, but I won't crush it into a pulp when I beat on it in the mornings. I pull the covers back and fall onto the mattress with a tired sigh, it's been a long damn day. Jacob crawls in beside me and draws me into his embrace. I wave the lights off and snuggle into his heat.

I'm brought into consciousness by lips grazing the back of my neck and a warm hand tracing circles on my inner thigh. We're laying on our sides, spooning. I reach between us and feel that he is hard already. He moans as I wrap my hand around him and gently squeeze."Get one," I tell him, my voice still thick with sleep. He shifts for a moment, then tears the little package open with his teeth. I strip down as he puts the sleeve on. After that first time, we never made the mistake of going unprotected again. I was on the shot, but we didn't want to take any chances. He taunts me by rubbing the tip at my entrance until I'm gasping and writhing against him. When he finally slides into me, I whimper as my climax rips through me. We move together slowly, revelling in the sensations instead of crashing forward. His hands caress me everywhere that he can reach while his lips dance over my skin. I reach up over my head, one hand finding his shorn head, the other coming to rest against his cheek. We let the slow burn guide us, whispering 'I love you's' as we writhe against each other. His arms tighten around me and I feel his teeth press into my neck as he releases. We hold each other for a time, basking in the afterglow, until I let out a quiet laugh and say,"Good morning lover." He allows a small chuckle of his own,"Morning sweetheart. I just couldn't help myself, you looked so good, hope you're not upset with me." I wiggle myself deeper into his arms, "Upset? Hell, it would be nice to wake up like that more often." He plants a kiss on my neck, "I'll have to remember that then."

I finally pull myself out of bed and start walking towards the bathroom, "What's wrong?" Jake asks. I shrug, "Morning breath. I don't think Billy would be happy if I killed you with it. Be right back." I pull out my toothbrush and get to work. I feel him come in and he gives me a wry smile before attending to his own oral hygiene. I'm reaching for my hairbrush when he picks me up and carries me back to the bed and covers me with warm kisses. I pull the blanket over us this time because the parts of my body not pressed into his are protesting against the morning air. We are very distracted by the time the alarm clock goes off. Jake rolls off of me and I twist to shut the damn thing off. When I move to resume, he is already out of bed and getting dressed. I let my eyes drink in his beautiful body and growl my displeasure when he buttons his jeans and then pulls on a black tee. He turns at the sound and grins, "If we didn't have to be somewhere that wouldn't cause us trouble if we didn't show, do you think I would have been able to tear myself away from you?" I groan and drop my head, "No. But I don't want to go to school now. I want to get those damn clothes off of you and chain you to the bed all day." He laughs and give me a chaste kiss,"I know the feeling, now get dressed, Bella is already downstairs making breakfast." I drag myself up and start pulling on my black cargo pants. I grab one of Jake's t-shirts and pull it over my head before finding my hoodie. I manage to detangle my hair and get it pulled back into a scrunchie before plodding down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Bella and Edward are singing along to 'Beauty of Speed' by Tori Amos as they work. The scent of cinnamon and vanilla drift in the air; they're making french toast. "Morning!" Bella sings as she gets into the cupboard to retrieve plates. *_Oh, joy, Bella is hyper after getting laid. At least we'll have someone who can almost keep up with Alice_.* I think towards Jake, who covers his laugh with a cough, *_Lets hope Edward isn't as bad_!*. Edward raises and eyebrow at me and smirks after hearing Jake's thoughts,"Something funny?" Jake and I exchange a conspiritorial glance,"Nope!" we both answer then resume our chuckling. Bella gives us a questioning look, but we just shake our heads and take our breakfast. Jake eats a dozen pieces of french toast and a half a bottle of syrup. I start praying that the sugar deosn't kick in all at once, my Eclipse wouldn't survive a furploding on the way to school. Edward slips out while the three of us are getting ready to leave, he was going out to start our vehicles and let them warm up a little before we actually had to drive them. Alice and Jasper appear, little grins on their faces when they encounter happy/hyper Bella. *_This could get annoying_* Jake thinks to me. I nod slightly once, only Jake and the vampires would catch it.

Soon we are all going to pile into our vehicles, but stop dead when we see Edward's new car. A silver 2009 Mitsubishi-Lancer-Evolution. He smiles, "You should see the other car, it's a Mercedes SLR McLaren, silver also, of course. Bella couldn't decide which car I should get, so I bought the Lancer and Mercedes for myself and a Toyota Celica for her. It's a custom blue and is fucking awesome! It should arrive next week." I hear Bella gasp,"Edward! You just asked my opinion, I told you not to base your choices solely off of what I said!" He laughs," Why angel? You're opinions are the only ones that truly matter. Now get your cute ass in the car before I carry you to it." She stops, "Wait, I thought we were still doing the whole avoidance thing at school?" He's to her in a blink, wrapping his arms around her, "I've decided that since I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly my love. Let the chips fall where they may, but I am tired of staying away from you." My sister blushes from her collar to her hairline,"You don't have to do this for me Edward, I know you love me and you know that I love you more than anything. I don't want to cause trouble for you." He kisses her soundly then cradles her face,"You silly, frail little human. I want to scream it from the tallest buildings in the fucking world that I love you and only you. Stop fretting or I'll let Alice take you shopping." Bella crushes herself against his chest, then walks to the Lancer with his arm wrapped around her waist.

After we are all loaded, it becomes a race to get to school. The vampires drive a little slower to give me an actual chance, for which I am extremely grateful. Jake and I end up coming in second, after Edward and Bella. Emmett and Rosalie are third, followed by Jasper and Alice. After I shut off the car, Jake pulls me into his arms and kisses me softly,"I love you," he mouths against my lips. "I love you," I whisper back. He hops out and comes around to open my door. I smile and he extends a hand to aid me. I take it and after closing the door, he steals my bag from me and carries it with his own. "This might not be too bad," he laughs as we join our family. Bella isn't the only girl getting stares over the people who have their arms wrapped around their waists today. I smile smugly at them all and hold my Jacob closer to me. *_Yes, this definitely will not be bad_* I think to him as we walk into Fork's High together.

**Woo-****hoo****! Another chapter done!!! Keep those reviews coming, they make me type faster!!!!**

**I hope I found a good way to get all three cars into the story without being an ass about it!**

**Again, thanks to all of you who were kind enough to kick me in the ass and not let me give up. *sniffles* You're my heroes.**

**Questions? Comments? Favorite part thus far? Insane author would like to know!**


	18. Part 18 Let the Chaos Commence

**Blah blah blah I do not own any copyrighted material, twilight or otherwise blah blah blah.  
In reference to the last chapter; do you think they had awards out to sexiest dance ever?? ;-)**

**Collide-Chaotic**

your intuition alters your mind superstition damage control in your dimension thoughts to unwind in your direction meant to unfold

mind exploding, out of control mind exploding, all that you know

chaotic pure hypnotic sure don't want to let it go

inside i'm electric and pure chaotic hypnotic until i'm through undefined i'm connected and pure chaotic hypnotic until i'm gone

inside your vision bending the rules your thoughts conditioned counting from zero in your direction just one molecule in your transition meant to unfold

mind exploding, out of control mind exploding, all that you know

chaotic pure hypnotic sure don't want to let it go

inside i'm electric and pure chaotic hypnotic until i'm through undefined i'm connected and pure chaotic hypnotic until i'm gone

chaotic hypnotic chaotic hypnotic

chaotic pure hypnotic sure

**Part 18**

**Let the Chaos Commence aka Fucking with Siege Engines**

**(Unknown ****POV****)**

April Fool's Day. Indeed. Will my pursuit of my future pets ever cease to be entertaining? The past two months have brought as many new werewolves into the mongrel's pack and they are as defensive of the Cullen's as they are of the Swan twins. The is delicious. The challenge of it all, if I had been able to resist before, is impossible to ignore now. Removing themselves under the watchful eye of the human male was an unexpected, yet pleasant, turn of events. If they only knew what their actions had, in turn, allowed me to do.

It was so easy to pay the adolescent human males a pittance to spy on the new residence of the Swans. They were gaining a great amount of sexual pleasure just by spying on the females. Through the manipulation of these males, I now had their school schedules, work schedules, and even their normal daily habits. It was not difficult, memorizing them, then following their patterns. If they were not so tantalizing, I would have opted for more challenging quarry. Then the werewolves continued involvement called to my primal nature. What made it sweeter was the dark haired Cullen that chose to reside with them. She still smells so good, though her conversion to this life had cured me of any temptation to taste her blood. Maybe I would make her mine as well. A lot of time to make up for on that one. So many years wondering what had become of her after that idiot took her from me and turned her to save her from me. Yes, I would seriously consider making her mine after the others had been dealt with.

Laurent had originally balked at my plan to begin digesting animal blood to dilute the red of our eyes. We knew from Tanya and Irina that the Cullen's were something they affectionately called "vegetarians". They chose to sustain themselves on animal blood in an effort to be more human, to blend in with their society. It was very rare to find those of our kind that wanted to be closer to humans other than as a lust driven session that led to feasting on them afterwards. Once I had mastered controlling my thoughts to protect myself from the elder Swan twins mate, we would begin our process. It won't be long now. Would he still want her after she was of the same species? Would the infant werewolf still desire his female after she became his inherent blood enemy? The endgame would tell all and I was anticipating it with more enthusiasm than I had felt in many years.

The younger female walks across my path, on her way to her car after finishing her duties at the hospital. Venom fills my mouth and I must smother my desire for her as to not ruin this game. Soon I will taste them both and claim what is mine.

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

His hands trailing down my spine....The square root of pi is 1.77245.....Bronze hair ticking my thighs.... Going to run Tyler over in the parking lot after school for telling pe.... Luscious, full lips kissing my throat..... Welcome to Wal-Mart, get your shit and ge....Topaz eyes boring into mine...His tongue sliding across my-"Ouch!" I yelp, reaching for my shin that had just been kicked. Carlie glowers at me from across the picnic table."You moaned Bells," she says, a disgusted look on her tired features," You actually fucking moaned. You only have a few hours left until you get to see him, keep that shit in check before I vomit." I focus on the wood-grain on the table and try to will my flaming cheeks into submission. I hate sunny days when I can't be with him."Sorry Nessie,"I whisper,"won't happen again. Mischa laughs,"If I were lucky enough to find someone as good-looking as Edward Cullen, bet your ass I'd be dreaming about it when I wasn't getting any!" I stick my tongue out at her and shake my head. Allen smacks the back of her head, "Stop talking out of your ass Mischa." They start arguing, again, and I tune them out. Cousins by marriage, they live under the same roof because one of them is an orphan. Neither will tell me which one it is though. I'm pretty certain that they're a little more than kissing cousins when no one else is around. Needless to say, they fit right in with our little band of oddities and freaks. Nobody is in the mood to practice today, so we're just hanging out and being goofy teenagers.

Having Allen and Mischa around and fighting were the least of my issues at the present time. Yes, it was amazing to find two other witches in them, but the Goth twins could be irritating sometimes. Today was one of those days. Everything irritated me. None of our sunlight impaired family were present because the sun decided it was going to be loud and proud since it rose at dawn. I straddle the bench and lay back, the warmth washing over me did feel good, just not as good as a pair of cool, marble fingers. The thought makes me shiver. Water drops hit my forehead,"Aw, come on Bells, don't be so glum," Jake says as he flicks water on me,"You know I love you, isn't that enough?" I look up at him and he's giving me his best sad puppy face. I let out a low chuckle,"If my boyfriend ever finds out about our affair, he'll skin us both wolf boy." He leans down and kisses my forehead,"No, me and Eddie talked already, we're going to switch girlfriends for a night or two." I swat his leg,"Don't call him Eddie, you know he doesn't like it Jake." He shrugs and looks around,"Um, Bells honey, tall, brooding and pasty is M.I.A today; I can call him whatever the hell I please behind his back." Carlie laughs wearily,"Like you don't just turn around and say it all to his face anyways. How's the arm, by the way?" "Fine," he grumbles and starts demolishing his lunch. Carlie watches her boyfriend lovingly, but her eyes are fighting to stay open. I can sympathize, I don't feel too well myself.

The boys had gotten into a series of arm wrestling matches last night. Everyone had come over for dinner, including Charlie and Billy. Jacob and Edward had let their natural competitive personalities get the better of them and had struggled for 10 solid minutes to pin each others arms to the granite boulder, and had to do it without drawing Charlie's attention. In the end Jacob had a dislocated shoulder and Edward's wrist and elbow had been broken, but Edward had won. Rematches were set for tonight, this time without Charlie's watchful gaze holding them back. Quil and Embry were eager to test their skills too. They hadn't been able to attend last night, so Jacob had been the only werewolf, and the boys were more than excited for a more even representation after dinner.

Quil and Embry had joined Jake's pack after their change rather than joining Sam and Jared. I could understand wanting to be with friends that were close enough to be called family. They were at our house nearly as often as they were at their own. I guess the ability to shift into horse-sized wolves did have the advantage when it came to crossing distances quickly. We usually made dinner for five now-days instead of three. They were also almost as protective of Carlie as Jacob. I mean, they were protective of us all, but I think that the fact Carlie was Jake's imprint and they didn't have one yet made a big difference. They were determined to protect their Alpha's mate.

"So, is the gang still getting together after school today?" Allen's question brings me back. "That's the plan," Carlie answers,"Those of us that are too slow will be referees and professional pain-in-the-asses to everyone else. I think that's in the job description even." We all laugh then groan as the bell for class rings. Jake helps me to my feet, then slides one arm around my waist and the other around his girlfriends. We do this every time Edward isn't at school. It is fun because of the confused looks we get as the giant of an Indian walks through the halls with the Swan twins at his sides. As we walk, I think about the time when Mike Newton had run to Edward after seeing us to tell him about what he had encountered in Edward's absence. Edward had doubled over with laughter, leaving Mike embarrassed and confused over the whole thing.

The seriousness behind the flirtatious gesture was that another vampire's scent had been found around where both Carlie and I worked and had been detected a few miles from the house once. The Cullen's had went into full protect mode after that. Edward had asked Jacob to keep an eye out for me when our vampire family's movements were restricted by the sunlight. He'd swiftly agreed, stating that he had no qualms looking out for his sister."Hey, Wicked Witch of the East, class time," Carlie says. "See you in gym then, Wicked Witch of the West." I reply, a smirk playing on my lips. We'd taken to calling ourselves the absurd names ever since Allen and Mischa had joined our little coven of witches. We were the only formal teachers they had ever had and it was fun to play on our unique relationship. Jake sends me into the room with an affectionate squeeze,"Later Bells."

My classes have all been a blur, I just can't keep focused today and my stomach hurts.I usually don't have this much trouble when Edward isn't here, but last night, one of my little daydreams had come true. I had been in the sun room doing homework after the arm wrestling matches when I heard the piano begin playing. It was 'River Flows in You' by Yiruma. The music filled the expanse of our house as Edward's deft fingers danced across the ivory keys. My feet had carried me to the doorway of the piano room before I'd realized what I was doing. I stood in that doorway the entire song, mesmerized by him. His eyes were closed and a little smile tugged at the corners of his mouth while he played. I knew that although other people were in the house, he was playing for me alone. There were tears in my eyes when he finally transitioned into Esme's favorite composition of his. I managed to break out of my trance and return to my homework after that, though I had felt a little punch-drunk.

Nessie is waiting for me after class, both of us looking forward to gym for once. We have a substitute today and we'd heard from the other students that he was letting the kids go outside and bask in the sunlight while it lasted. We find an empty table and get a jump on our homework because, admittedly, we were just as excited about the rematches as the rest of our family was. *_So who do you think will win tonight?_* Carlie asks in a futile attempt to avoid her English paper. I look up at her*_Emmett probably_*. I analyze her face while she's not looking. God, she looks tired. She's starting to get grey rings under her eyes. She's been having a rough time lately. Between work, school, tutoring Jake, and helping teach the Goth twins, she's had almost no time for anything else. I decide to bring it up.*_Nessie, maybe Alice can help tutor Jake so you can actually get some sleep, you look awful_.*

Seemingly on cue, she yawns widely and shrugs,*I_'m okay Bells. It's just that this term paper has been kicking my ass and I've been helping Jake study. His grades are so good that the school might let him take the test to jump a grade or two. I'm hoping for two, it would put us in the same class and it would be so much easier to tutor him then._* I gawk at her.*_Y__ou never told me that Jake was going to test up! I could have been helping you and so could our whole family! We have access to brilliant vampire minds who could teach Jacob faster than either of us could ever hope to. You're asking Alice about it tonight or I will Carlie. I mean it._* She winces at the force of my thoughts *_Dammit Bella, we weren't going to tell anyone unless he passed! He's under enough pressure already, can you imagine what it would be like if the whole family knew? If they started tutoring him and he doesn't make it? How embarrassed he would feel?_* I hang my head*_Sorry Nessie_. _I __didn't think of that. I meant no wrong._*

Great, stomach ache, lust, loneliness, and now a big steaming pile of guilt. I can't wait to get home. Carlie pats my hand,*_It's okay Bellsie, I know you're just trying to help._* Her eyes brighten *_You really want to help?* I nod *Of course I do! He's my brother now!_* She bites her lip, pondering something, then nods *_Okay, here's where you can help. Jake's having problems with the English portion of the testing. You're such a bookworm that you gets straight A's, even in Advanced English. Give him a hand on that and it will help us loads. Deal?_* I mentally sigh in relief, glad that she didn't ask for old term papers or something *_Yeah, I can do that easily. I'll ask Edward if he can help with history too. That should take a little more of the burden off of you and Jake._* She nods and smiles *_C__ool. Thanks sis. Now we might actually get to spend some time together other than to study._* She puts her head on the table and we sit in silence. Well, almost. Less than a minute after lowering her head, I begin hearing a quiet snore coming out of her. I take her homework and finish it for her, she needs the break. When the bell rings, she bolts upright, eyes glancing around wildly. "Time to go home Nessie,"I inform her and get up from the bench. She shoves her books in her bag and follows me while digging out her keys. She isn't looking too well. Poor thing is exhausted.

Jake meets us at the steps that lead to the parking lot. His eyes widen slightly at her appearance, but quickly gives her the kiss she was expecting. "Why don't you let me drive honey?" he asks her."I have my permit already so we're safe there." My jaw drops when she doesn't argue with him. She simply nods and hands the keys over. I begin to worry now, she never lets anyone drive her car, not even her soulmate. Jake lays a hand on her forehead,"You're burning up Nessie! We have to get you home!" "I'm fine Jake,"she mumbles, "I'm just tired and sore from being assaulted by vamps and wolves yesterday." Jake glances at me, worry on his face, then back down to his girlfriend,"Well, I'm calling Carlisle when we get home just to be safe, okay?" "Sure, sure," she replies, a smile barely touching the corners of her mouth. He gets her in the car, then himself.

I lead the way because this is Jake's first time driving the route. As I navigate the road, I dial Edward's cell. It only rings once, as always."Angel?" he answer. I snicker,"You keep answering the phone like that Edward and I might start thinking that you're calling me your other girlfriends name." "Hey! I have never called you Emmett or Jasper, leave them out of this!" he says in mock anger. When our laughter dies down he asks,"What's wrong Bella? And don't bullshit me, I can hear it in your voice." I sigh,"I know you're not comfortable using your medical training unless it's an emergency when it comes to Carlie and me, but when we get home, could you check her over? She's been out of it all day and Jake noticed that she has a fever." "How did Jake notice any human having a fever?" Edward huffs. "Because it's Nessie love. He knows when something isn't right. I agree with him," I admit," I think she's sick Edward. I don't think she even realizes it because she's been busting her butt trying to be all responsible and stuff. She's exhausted on top of everything. I'm worried about her." "I'll check her over as soon as she's in the door angel, I promise," he states, all joking absent in his tone. "Thanks love, Jake's driving her car and they're right behind me. We are turning into the driveway now." "I hear you," he says,"I'm pulling out my bag now. Jasper is calling Carlisle just to give him the head's up in case we have to take her to the hospital. Love you." "Love you too. See you in a minute." I hang up. Our driveway is half the length of the one leading to Cullen Central, but it's long enough to give everyone ample warning of people coming down it, even us frail humans, as Edward would put it.

Jasper and Alice are waiting outside for us as we pull in. As soon as the car rolls to a stop, Jasper has the door open and is pulling Carlie into his arms. She looks like a ragdoll. Jasper carries her in, careful not to jostle her. Jake follows them up the stairs, worry bordering panic now. Right before she is taken in the door, Carlie twists in Jasper's arms on gets violently sick. When she's done, she begins apologizing in a feeble voice. Jas and Jacob tell her not to worry about it. Alice puts her arm around me as we follow them in, careful to guide me around the mess on the porch. We enter the living room to a flurry of movement. Jasper is coming in with a bucket, Jacob is putting an icepack on her head, and Edward is pulling out a digital thermometer. Alice gives me a peck on ther cheek,"We'll take care of her," and dashes off to clean the porch.

Carlie is sick twice more before Edward approaches me with his assessment. "She has a stomach virus Bella." he informs me with a frown,"If she has it, you have been exposed and therefore it is only a matter of days, if not hours, before you begin presenting symptoms as well." "What about the wolves?" I shudder at the thought of three sick werewolves. He's shaking his head before I even finish the sentence,"Their immune system's a much more advanced than a regular humans. They may feel queasy for a day or two, but will not suffer the full effects like you and Carlie." His mouth twitches into my favorite smile,"Well, now we know that witches are suseptible to more things than the charms of supernatural creatures. Carlisle will just love that little tidbit of info." I laugh,"There are worse things than giving into the charms of those supernatural creatures my love. Like giving into the charms of Mike Newton or Tyler Crowley." He scowls at me before giving me a quick kiss,"I think it would be best for Carlie to sleep down here in the living room while she is ill so she doesn't have to climb the stairs and take the chance of hurting herself. She's only slightly less clumsy than you after all." I snort,"Tell her that. She seems to believe that she's a prima ballerina next to me." He chuckles,"Ooh, I thought I saw some claws show on that one angel, I think I like!" I nudge him with my shoulder,"That just because you enjoy the idea of being beat up by a girl." He grabs my hips and pulls me to him. He kisses along my jawline until he reaches my ear,"No love, I just love it when you use those claws on me." I blush, which only adds fuel to the fire."You are so goddamn beautiful Bella,"he whispers against my neck,"You have no idea how long I've waited for you, for this." His lips graze my earlobe,"And now that I have you, I vow to never leave your side my love, claws or no claws. I'll always be here, trying to be worthy of you, as long as you'll have me." I speak the only word that somes to my mind,"Forever." Instantly his lips are on mine.

"If you two are going to keep that shit up, I think I'd rather be puking in the bathroom," Carlie groans. There is a sudden thump from that direction, followed by a weak "Ow, I guess gravity is still working." Jake is instantly at her side, picking her up and redepositing her on the couch,"Stop it Nessie,"he scolds her,"I'll get whatever you need, just give the word." I hear her weak laugh, "Um, you can start with making the room stop spinning, then we can move onto bolting the couch to the floor so it stops rolling around. After that, I think I might need two dozen angry midget stripper's to beat me up and take my mind off of throwing up like a frat boy during pledge week. Maybe when that's over we can put all of you guys in tutu's and make you play football like that." Jake tucks her in,"I'll get right on that honey. While you're waiting, maybe you should take a nap." She hums and snuggles into the comforter,"Sure, sure. And later we can spin Bella in circles at vampire speed before letting her go staggering out in the yard and watch her bounce off of shit until she knocks herself out on a stray atom or something."We all laugh at that one. Edward extracts himself from my arms and gives her a once over before letting her sleep.

We walk into the kitchen to start dinner when Alice comes in,"Jasper and I called everyone and cancelled for tonight. Emmett was peeved. He was hoping Bella was sick already too so we could all place bets on which twin got the best distance with their projectile vomiting." "Gee, I'm going to have to thank Emmett properly for that stunning visual that was motivated entirely at me and Carlie's expense," I grumble as I retrieve the zip-loc bags from the fridge and begin emptying the marinade for the steaks into the sink. Just as I drop the steaks onto a plate, the odor hits me and my stomache twists. Edward must have seen my face turn a new shade of green because his hands are on my arms immediately, "Bella? You alright angel?" I shake my head,"Em just might be able to gamble at the Swan twins expense after all." He lifts me into his arms and walks me to the other couch in the living room, facing the wall that has our 75 gallon fish tank in it. On the other side of the wall is our little den, where the majority of our books are kept. Carlie mumbles something in her sleep as Edward now checks me over. It doesn't take long for him to determine that I also am coming down with the nasty little bug.

I feel so sorry for Edward and Jacob over the next three days. Carlie and I are very ill during that time. Our boys wait on us hand and foot to keep us as comfortable as possible. Charlie calls every day for an update, but won't come over. That part is encouraged. Charlie doesn't need to see just how cozy the boys are in our house nor does he need to contract the virus. Esme comes over to take care of us when the other's are in school, thoroughly enjoying her role as mother hen. Every morning it is a battle to get Jake and Edward to go to school. We have to remind them of Billy's terms for his son, citing that if Jake missed school, it would reflect badly on him and Jake wouldn't go to school without Edward. Carlie and I exchanged wry smiles with each morning argument, we knew it was happening because we were loved so much. And Emmett ended up winning the distance bet with Jasper. I had projected closer to ten feet at 7 feet 3 1/8 inches. Three days on couches with I.V.'s sticking out of our arms did absolutely nothing to brighten the mood. Being carried to and fro from the bathroom was humiliating as well. By the fourth morning, the first day we were well enough to rise from our little prisons, we radiated sarcasm and hostility so badly that Jasper wouldn't be in the same room as us. It took two more days for us to return to our normal selves.

The morning we felt up to cooking was chaos because we had three werewolves, two humans, and five vampires packed into the kitchen, trying to help all at once. I had told the wolves to go chase parked cars and the vampires to go play in traffic at one point during the madness. "You're in a mood," Edward notes as we cook," something vexes thee?" I shrug,"I hate being sick, it makes me feel like I've lost time and now I have to rush to catch up. Not to mention that I've missed a few days of work and the water bill is due. I haven't paid my part of it yet." Edward sighs,"Love, why don't you let me pay it? Is it so impossible to let me help?"

I pour my oatmeal into a bowl and sit at the kitchen island,"It's not like that Edward, I don't want you or anyone else to think that we're only together because you have insane amounts of cash at your disposal. It makes me feel inferior as it is, the way you spend money on me. I know I promised to let you spend more on me, and I have, but it's different when it comes to my house. Paying my part of the household bills is just part of the price paid to live in my own home. Can you see my side of it Edward? Even a little?" He mulls it around a bit before nodding,"You feel that you are compromising your independence and proving that you can't take care of yourself if you let me help with the bills, am I correct?" I nod, "More or less. Not everyone has the advantages that you Cullen's do, Edward, and struggling to pay the mortgage, keeping the utilities on, and all of the responsibilities that come with living on one's own and sometimes failing at one or all of them is a regular way of life. It doesn't matter if you are a human, a vampire, or a werewolf; when push comes to shove, if you want a life, you have to work for it. That is my point. Though it is pretty ludacris to think of vampires and werewolves having to worry about trivial things like paying their electric bill." He gives me a half-smile and kisses me on the cheek,"Alright angel, I understand. I can't help with the household shit unless I live here too. I can respect that." "Thank you Edward, I appreciate your understanding," I reply and finally get to my breakfast.

"Oh gods, that was so fucking domesticated, I think I'm going to hurl," Carlie whines from the breakfast nook. I open my mouth to retort, but Edward raises a hand, "Let me angel, please?" I wave the okay. He raises his middle finger, "You'e number one Carlie, I really mean that. Now shut the fuck up and eat your breakfast before you have to go and teach your boyfriend to roll over or play fetch or some shit." She returns the gesture,"Fuck you too Cullen." He looks her in the eye and says,"Okay, but we do it any way but doggie-style since I know that's Jake's favorite." Jake throws a grape at Edward and it hits him on the shoudler before Edward can catch it. "Ha! Take that Fangface! I told you I was getting faster!" Jake exclaims,"And you're not the only one with a girl who can block people's thoughts from you, so you won't see it coming!" I choke on my sip of coffee, "Fangface?! Jake, where do you come up with these things?" He just smirks and goes back to reading over his homework while he eats.

Carlie finishes eating and walks out into the sunroom with Edward to have their morning cigarette. Jake comes over and starts putting our dishes in the dishwasher. "You don't have to do that Jake, I could have gotten it," I tell him. He pauses and looks at me, "After your little speech, it made me think Bells. I spend most of my time here and yet I don't really contribute at all and I should. Carlie says it's my house too. I feel like shit that I can't help with the bills and stuff and I can only imagine what the food bill is just to feed me. Hell, Carlie makes sure my Dad is fed at least one good meal a day so that means you guys are also paying for him....if I can give a hand by doing little shit like putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher, I'm going to do it. Okay?" I lay my hand on his arm as he resumes loading. "Jake, it wasn't about that. You're 15, none of us have any expectations of you paying the bill or anything, and sending your Dad food is the least we can do for him being so understanding about you and Carlie," I counter. "Dammit Bella, it's not like you and Carlie are twenty-somethings in college. You're frikkin 17 years old, you shouldn't be worrying about this stuff either!" he snaps.

Carlie pokes her head in," Whenever you kids are done flirting, we have to get to school. Jake, Bella has a point. Bells, so does Jacob. Try to see each others point of view before getting all pissy with each other and ruining the first good day I've had in a while." As she disappears out the door, Jake and I look to each other, matching looks of surprise on our faces, then burst into laughter. "Hurry the fuck up you two, we're leaving!" Edward calls from outside. We hastily finish with the dishes and grab our bags on our way out the door, laughing the whole way.

**(Carlie's POV)**

Allen and Mischa are waiting for Jake and I at our usual spot for lunch. It's a nice little incove behind the building. This was where Jake and I had discovered their secret. We've been meeting them here, away from the others, a few times a week for the past month. It is harder for them to get out of the house and away from the parental units, so we make use of our lunch period. We eat our lunch and get a little magic practice in. As Bella, Edward, and the others join us, I can't help but smile as I think back to the decidedly anti-climatic way we had found our brother and sister in magic.

**(Flashback)**

"Why don't we go find some place a little more quiet?" Jake whispers in my ear. Alice, Bella, and Rosalie are arguing over where to go to buy prom dresses. Bella doesn't want to go at all, but Edward is insisting on her getting the full human experience despite being in love with a vampire. Alice wants to fly to Paris over the weekend to shop, and Rosalie is complaining about a designer in L.A. "Yeah, let's get the hell out of here," I mutter while swinging my bag onto my shoulder. We sneak out while our family is distracted by the impending catfight. I start going towards the picnic tables, but Jake grabs my hand and starts pulling me in the opposite direction, "I want to find somewhere that I can kiss you senseless and not get bitched at by one of the teachers," he growls in my ear.

As we walk, Jake keeps me between the wall and his body, keeping me under the overhang around the buildings and out of the rain. We see a spot that looks suitable and hurry to it. As soon as we turn the corner, his lips are crashing into mine with an almost frenzied enthusiasm. "Oh shit!" we hear. I turn just in time to see two floating lunch trays fall to the ground in front of the Goth twins. Their faces are identical masks of horror. "Don't go!" I call out as they turn to run. I wave their trays up and into their backs. Mischa skids to a stop,"How did you do that?" she demands. I shrug,"Probably the same way you made yours float. Magic." Allen snorts,"Don't be ridiculous, there's no such thing." I make a snap decision,"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." I will some of the rain into a ball, then hold it for a moment, hovering, over my upturned hand, before tossing it like a baseball into the woods."I can see by your faces that you haven't advanced this far yet, so after school today you two are coming over to my house and then we are going to figure out what you can and can't do, okay? I think we can help you." They look at each other, then back to us,"You mean you and Jacob can help us?" Allen asks. Jake laughs and shakes his head," No, my speciality is something entirely different. She means her and her sister." They nod their consent. "Good," I smile,"And you already know that if you breathe one word of this to anyone I will cheerfully beat you to death." They nod again. "We were just going to try and get some practice in, you know, work on some new things we figured out how to do, want to join us?" Allen inquires. "Of course!" I agree.

That same night.

"Holy shit! I didn't even know we were able to that!" Mischa yells. She had just seen Bella and I twist two rose bushes into an arch over the path to our inground pool and then urge them to flower. Bella shrugs,"You have to be careful with nature. If it had been midwinter, I never would have used them because though we may be able to make them awaken and bloom, they are still suseptible to the elements. The cold would have killed them easily." Allen steps to his cousins side," But how did you manage to do it?" I lightly touch one of the delicate yellow blooms, "You have to know the basic mechanics of things. To make things fly, you need to know how much force you have to push down with to make the object go up. To make a flower grow you need to understand the basics of photosynthesis. It takes a lot of time and study. When we were younger and didn't know any better, we would try to attempt things that we didn't understand and it came back to bite us on the ass every time." Bella picks up my thread,"There are rules to magic. You can't unmake something that the universe created. Ever. You blink out of existence. Another one is that you can't bring anyone back from the dead once the soul departs. They come back wrong, a shadow of the person you once knew, and it usually ends in psychosis and suicide. The person knows they are all wrong. Think of Pet Cemetary without the automatic evil."

Mischa tears her gaze away from the arch,"You mean this is like the 'Will and the Word' out of David Eddings books?" Bella nods with a wry smile, "Something like that. It's easier for us and not as powerful, but along that vein. " Mischa chews on her lip for a minute, then asks,"What about spell components and shit?" Bella lets out a slow sigh,"It's a matter of debate really. Some have said that the components help immensely, other's say that it's merely a psychological need for visual confirmation. It's evidently been a debate since the beginning of time. We personally use components for some things and pass it up on others." Allen scratches his jaw thoughtfully," I can see what they mean. But how did you two learn all of this?" "Our mother," Bella and I answer at once then Bella continues alone," Our mother was the only other witch we'd ever encountered, until now, she'd been teaching us since we were sixteen. When she died, we found a room in our basement where she had kept the journals of her magical learnings and those of our line. We have been using them as the core of our experimentation." Mischa suddenly bends over, her shoulders heaving with laughter," Well Allen, we've met the Wicked Witches of the East and West, does that make us the witches of the North and South?"

We spent the rest of the evening showing each other what we could do while our vampire and werewolves egged us on. That and laughing at Allen and Mischa over who was North and who was South. Yeah, they'd had no trouble at all with our families secrets. They had known since the first time they'd laid eyes on them. We were told that we had the coolest adopted family in the world. We informed them that they were part of the family too now.

**(End flashback**)

I sigh, "Allen, it's a ball, not a brick, hold the ball with your mind and push off from the ground like you would a diving board." His eyebrows are furrowed with intense concentration,"There is no spoon," he whispers and the ball shoots up into his waiting hand. "Ow!" he yelps as it hits. "Good job! Not so hard next time though,"Bella pats his shoulder, "Calibration is one of the most difficult things to master because you have to do it with every little thing you pick up. The bright side is, once you know how much force to use with that object, it sticks with you, becomes imbedded in your psyche." Mischa laughs as her ball revolves in an orbit around her, "That's all wonderful and all, but Allen has the mind of a goldfish, we'll be having to teach him how to do it again here in five minutes." "Kiss my ass Northern softy," he spits back, not taking his eyes away from the all as he lets it go and focuses on it's hovering. "You first, Southern bastard," she laughs and grabs her ball," I'm going to finish eating." She nudges me,"Got it all worked with the parent types. We will be over after we get our shit packed for the is, if you don't mind." "Weekend?!" I exclaim," I never thought they'd let you guys stay with us all fucking weekend!" Mischa snickers,"Yeah, well it happens to be their anniversary on Monday and we suggested us being out of the house would make a nice present for them and they agreed." Allen's ball drops and he catches it before it hits the ground,"Better warn you though, they think Carlisle and Esme live with you guys too." Bella laughs,"Well, we certainly aren't going to tell them otherwise. It doesn't matter, Carlisle and Esme will be with us off and on most of the time anyways. The guys dealt with us being sick all although we were still on the couches until yesterday afternoon, they've been plotting for more extravagent challenges since finding out it was going to be an entire weekend long event."

Edward swagger's back with Bella's soda in hand. "Thanks love," she remarks as he sits down beside her and hands it over with a kiss. "What did I miss?" he asks,"Has Allen turned his ball into a Holy Hand Grenade yet?" Allen glowers at him,"If I turn this bitch into a Holy Hand Grenade, I'm launching it at you and your fucking brothers' first bitch." Edward stretches his legs out and crosses his ankles,"Yeah, we'll turn it into a Red vs Blue episode Allen; you can be Simmons." Allen laughs, "At least I'm not Donut or Caboose. What if I wanted to be Church?" "No, Edward's Church," Bella says," Mainly because he's the only one I know who can screw up something so completely and still make it work." "Who's Grif then?" Mischa asks. "Jake," all three of us answer. "And Jasper is Sarge mainly because he keeps thinking shit up that gets Jake hurt," I add.

Practice forgotten, we spend the rest of our lunch arguing over who would be which Red vs Blue character. The only thing we can agree on is that Emmett is Donut, Esme should be Sheila, and Rosalie is the perfect Tex. When the bell goes off, I'm tempted to get Jake to ditch with me, but Bella reminds me that Jake already has too much shit on his plate and doesn't need more trouble for skipping school.

After school, I offer to take the Goth twins home to get their stuff. They agree immediately but are a little disappointed when we don't have our daily race. My sister and her boyfriend are going to the store to shore up the food supply, Alice and Jas are heading up to Carlisle and Esme's to supposedly get camping gear for the werewolves so they don't have to sleep in the house, and Emmett and Rose are buying a grill for us humans because I asked if we could have cookout. Embry and Quil won't be over until later, so we don't have to worry about them yet.

Jake lifts our entwined hands and kisses mine,"What's wrong honey?" he asks as we wait for Allen and Mischa to come out of their house. I flick the ash from my cigarette,"Nothing really, just going over shit for this weekend. Calculating how much it's going to cost to repair the place when it's all said and done." He chuckles and rubs my hand along his cheek,"Yeah, well I think that will be one time no one will have a problem with the Cullen's using their money." I nod,"Yeah, I know I sure as hell don't, especially on the account I see Em being a large part of the coming destruction." He shifts his feet and pulls me to his chest,"Let's just hope that Edward and Jasper were able to talk him out of building the catapult to launch people into the pool." I feel the blood drain from my face,"Shit! I thought he was joking about that! I'm the one who told him to go for it because I thought it would be cool to have a catapult!" Jake snickers and lays a peck on the tip of my nose,"Well, I guess whoever ends up sliding down the side of the house like a cartoon can blame you then." I groan,"That fucking cartoon is going to end up being me or Bella because almost everyone else will just go through the wall and out the other side." He laughs again,"Well, Alice was complaining that she wanted more windows, it will give her the perfect excuse to do it!" "Fuck," I mutter," Now I know it will get built. I'm so dead when Bella finds out."

"Finds what out?" Mischa walks up with her duffle bag, followed by her cousin. "Emmett's building a catapult to launch people over the house and into the pool unless Edward and Jasper can talk him out of it. Nessie here is the one who gave the lug permission in the first place." Mischa and Allen's eyes light up like Christmas,"Catapult?!" they both ask, excitement thick in their voices."I fucking love catapults!" Mischa squeals. Allen rolls his eyes,"She's always wanted to be shot out of a catapult that was aimed at a pool. Now she's going to follow Em around like a lost puppy until he gets it built." Mischa smacks his arm," Like you don't think it would be fun. Asshole." He swats her ass,"Get in the car wench, so we can get this show on the road." We get their luggage in the trunk and head out.

Jake and I end up having to turn around and go to Wal-Mart after dropping them off at home because everyone came up with a list of last minute things that we needed. "Why does Emmett need all of these water balloons?" Jake grumbles as I toss an entire box of packages in the cart. "I have no idea, but it probably involves them being thrown at people and getting them wet," I answer. He ruffles my hair,"You are such a smartass Carlie Swan." I smack his hand away and smooth my hair out,"It's better than being a dumbass Jacob, now lets go get the 10 cases of Red Bull that you and your pack begged me to get before I change my mind." He chuckles and follows.

Four hundred dollars and a trunk full of stuff later, we finally make it home. I pull up to the house and slam on the brakes. "What the fuck?!" I exclaim as I gawk at the 25 foot tall catapult standing on our front lawn. All of the guys, including Carlisle, are out working on it. I think I see Embry and Quil on the other side of the contraption. Mischa and Rose seem to be helping too."Traitors," I growl as I shut the car off. Jake is already out of the car and jogging over to them, giving high fives as he goes. Bella and Alice come over to unload the car. "We were outvoted," Bella explains as we carry our bags into the house,"As soon as Carlisle was onboard we didn't stand a chance." Alice snorts,"That's what the water balloons are for. So they can shoot each other." I stop,"What?!" Alice gives me a look, then rolls her eyes,"The other one is out back silly. Emmett already bought one store out of water balloons too, that's why you had to get more." "I have a feeling this weekend may end up being detrimental to the health of any human that gets in the way." I complain and set the bags on the floor. Alice laughs,"Oh, it's not that bad, as long as everyone is careful." Bella rolls her eyes," Yeah like a three day party with vampires and werewolves is the pinnacle of safety conscious behavior." Alice sticks her tongue out at her,"Come on, this is going to be so much fun!"

Esme walks in and starts helping us put things away,"All of the boys will be camping outside for the weekend while us ladies will have the comfort of the house." "How did that happen?" I ask, flabbergasted. She puts her arm around me and gives me a light squeeze,"Charlie stopped by while you were gone. He was coming to tell you girls that he was going to be out fishing all weekend. When he seen the boys conspiring in the den, he asked what was going on. Carlisle explained to him that you children were having a weekend together with your friends. Charlie asked if Carlisle and I were going to be in attendance and Carlisle assured him that we would be. Please don't be upset sweetheart, it is more responsible this way." "Okay," I pout, but agree. She kisses my forehead,"That's my girl. Now, we will get started on dinner and laugh at the boys while they play with their new toys, alright?" We agree and start busying ourselves with the food preparation.

They don't let us down either. Emmett volunteers to be the first living test subject after they had success with a few large rocks. Rose and Edward get into an argument over who gets to launch him while Carlisle sneaks over and pulls the release, effectively sending Emmett hurtling through the air like a vampire football. Everyone looks at Carlisle, who has an impish grin plastered to his face, then turns to watch the screaming man. His descent is abruptly slowed when he crashes into some trees about 100 yards away. A minute doesn't pass when Emmett comes jogging out of the woods, also with a grin stuck to his face.

Edward jumps into the basket next, his eyes shining with anticipation. Bella excuses herself, citing she needs a human moment. Jacob pulls the lever and sends Edward shooting towards the sky. He sticks his arms out to the sides as he flies, looking like a genuine superhero for a few seconds before tucking himself into a ball and rolling into the forest. The guys have score cards this time. When Edward returns, they hold them up. Edward bows and we can hear,"Thank you, thank you, I'm here all week." Embry goes next, getting so excited in midair that he furplodes, leaving shreds of clothing floating through the air like feathers. We all laugh and cheer as he reappears, the other wolves goad him over his mid-flight phase. His wolfy face looks extremely embarrassed as he pads passed us, in search of new clothes to put on.

Bella and I move out to the deck and start grilling up the steaks and chicken while Alice lights the tiki torches. Esme turns on the lights that had been strung all over the yard in our absence. Little japanese lanterns light up all over the yard, twinkling in the evening sun. When it's Jake's turn, he blows me a kiss from the basket just before Rose pulls the arm. I can hear his maniacal laughter as he soars. I turn away before he gets near the trees, I wouldn't be able to take seeing him get hurt, no matter how fast he heals. He jogs over to me when he returns, giving me a passionate kiss and whispering 'I love you' into my ear before joining back up with the band of lunatics around the catapult.

Esme whimpers when Carlisle finally takes his turn, then walks into the house. Bella and I give each other a knowing look as she departs. It surprises the whole gang when Esme appears out in the yard, walks over to the machine, and pulls the lever herself, sending Carlisle flying, confused look still on his face. She comes back up to the deck, evil grin still in place. We congradulate her and she informs us we might want to consider taking a turn launching our boys because it's very theraputic. We hear a whoosh of air, then see Alice down by Jas, pushing him towards the basket. Bella looks at me,"Who'd have thought that the pixie, of all people, would want to launch her boyfriend from a medieval seige engine?" We watch as Jasper climbs in while our family cheers, "Alice! Alice! Alice!". She whispers to Emmett, who starts booming out a countdown which we all join "Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Launch!" The blonde vampire shoots into the air, arms forward like Superman. As soon as he's in the air, everyone rushes to reset the catapult then Alice jumps into position. Jasper is just coming out of the woods when Alice is launched. He stops dead in his tracks, his amber eyes the size of plates as he watches her tiny form fly through the dying light, then dashes back into the forest. A minute later, he comes walking back out, Alice safely in his arms. "That was fun!" Alice cackles after Jas kisses her and sets her on her feet,"I want to go again!" Everyone laughs but Carlisle shakes his head, eyeing Jasper, who is shaking his head 'no' behind her. "It's getting too dark for the humans to watch dear, we will do it again tomorrow," he ruffles her hair as she jumps up and down, squealing with delight.

Those that aren't moving the catapult out of the way go off into the woods in search of firewood. Music starts flowing out of the speakers, 'Jurassitol' from Filter. Mischa and Allen come up to help finish dinner so Esme can help the others. "They'd better let me go tomorrow," Mischa whines as she prepares the salad. "I'm sure everyone will get a chance Mischa,"Bella says," Except for Carlie and me. Our boys have a habit of being overprotective." "That's because they are danger magnets!" Edward yells up from the yard,"They're lucky we let them around cooking utensils!" I give him the number one sign," I hope you drop that catapult on your fucking head, at least then you'd have an excuse to be such a retard!" He blows a kiss at me,"Love you too sis!" I look at Bella, who is studiously taking the food off of the grill, a ghost of a smile on her lips. "Huh, imagine that," I ponder aloud and get back to mixing the pasta salad. Suddenly there is a whoosh and a 20 foot ball of flame shoots 50 feet in the air. Down below, cheers from the boys erupt. As it dissipates, the bonfire is revealed. "Well, at least we know that vamps and wolves have discovered the secret of fire," Allen muses. Jake laughs and holds up a white bottle, "Yeah, it's called lighter fluid!"

We set the food out, buffet style, and call for all food eaters by using an air horn so that those gathering wood can hear it too. Picnic tabels that had been constructed earlier are moved down around the fire, so we can all eat and talk together. Jake carries our plates while I get our drinks. We find an open bench and enjoy the spoils. "So, was it fun?" I ask Jacob. He nods enthusiastically, "It was awesome! I can't wait until we can get it calibrated for the pool." I take a drink of my Code Red, then take a deep breath, "When do I get to go?" I inquire. He chokes down a bite of his chicken,"What? No, you don't get to be tossed through the air like a human Frisbee sweetheart. It's too dangerous." I set my fork down and fold my hands together on the table,"Oh, I don't get to go, but I am expected to watch my boyfriend get turned into catapult fodder? Isn't that a bit of a fucking double standard Jake?" He reaches across for my hands, but I slide them back and into my lap,"Don't do this to me Carlie," he begs, "You know that you don't heal as fast as I do and you're not indestructible like the bloodsuckers. I just don't want you to get hurt honey." "Do you or do you not trust the stability of the damn thing Jake?" I ask. He nods, "Yeah but-" I cut him off,"Then what is the fucking problem? I had figured that once humans started getting launched, people would be out there to catch us so we didn't get hurt, not to mention that there will be two people here with medical degrees if something does go wrong. Where's the problem?" He drops his head and sighs,"The 'if somethings does go wrong' part. You know I won't stop you,if you really want to do it, I can't. But I also hope that you won't use the imprint compulsion to give you everything you want against me." My shoulders slump in defeat, "Fine. I won't do it. Mind you, the only reason I'm giving in is that I know you'll furplode as soon as I'm in the air." I stand up, "I'm going to get my hoodie. Want to give me a list of anything else I'm not allowed to do before I go?" He lays his head on the table and shakes his head again, "No darling." "Okay, but I want you to know that this is real shitty of you, always running to be the first one in line for every stupid fucking antic and prank that someone can come up with, and yet you expect me to stand on the sidelines and watch you do stupid shit while patiently waiting for your return like the good little girlfriend. Fuck you Jacob. I'm a witch, not a fucking porcelain doll and I'm tired of being stuck up on the shelf while having to watch everyone else have a fucking life." I snap and walk into the house, ignoring everyone who is staring at us.

I storm up to my room, slamming and locking the door behind me. I flip the light and and throw open a window before breaking my own rule. I light a cigarette in my bedroom and sit in the window, tears rolling down my cheeks. Someone knocks on the door after a while,"Nessie, honey, can I come in?" Jake asks. I take my boot off and throw it at the door. It hits with a loud thunk. "Please Carlie," he pleas. I throw the other boot too. Silence. I get my iPod and put the earbuds in. 'The Nobodies' from Marilyn Manson starts playing in my ears. As I cry, I sing along to the lyrics."Today I am dirty,  
I want to be pretty, Tomorrow, I know I'm just dirt, Today I am dirty, I want to be pretty, Tomorrow, I know I'm just dirt," another knock,"Carlie please," I turn the music up and sing louder, "We are the nobodies! We wanna be somebodies! When we're dead, they'll know just who we are...We are the nobodies! We wanna be somebodies! When we're dead, they'll know just who we are..," "Carlie just open the door." Volume up another notch."Yesterday I was dirty, wanted to be pretty, I know now that I'm forever dirt..Yesterday I was dirty, wanted to be pretty, I know now that I'm forever dirt." "I love you, please don't do this." Volume turned to maximum. I start screaming the lyrics, "We are the nobodies! We wanna be somebodies! When we're dead, they'll know just who we are! We are the nobodies! We wanna be somebodies! When we're dead, they'll know just who we are! Some children died the other day! We fed machines and then we prayed! Puked up and down in morbid faith! You should have seen the ratings that day! Some children died the other day! We fed machines and then we prayed! Puked up and down in morbid faith! You should have seen the ratings that day!" "I'm begging you Carlie, please." "We are the nobodies, We wanna be somebodies, When we're dead, they'll know just who we are, We are the nobodies, We wanna be somebodies, When we're dead, they'll know just who we are." The song ends and I hear Jacob say in a defeated voice,"You're not a nobody. You're not ugly. You're beautiful and you're my world. I'll be here when or if you want to talk to me again." His words just make the tears flow that much harder.

Three hours I sit in the window, chain smoking, crying, and singing song lyrics. I stare out over the back lawn, watching the moonlight play in the trees. Suddenly I hear a lone wolf's howl echo through the forest. Plaintive and heartbroken. My Jacob. I've caused my Jacob pain. Agony rips through my chest as the sound fades. His pain, my pain. I force myself to stand and pull on my boots and hoodie. I jump out the window without a second thought. I manage to land without killing myself, thanks to willing myself a slower descent. I hit the ground with a solid thud still, knocking the wind out of myself. I climb to my feet while calling my glowing orb and start running in the direction of the howl's. Edward is instantly beside me. "This way." he says, turning toward the right. I follow, tripping and stumbling, but never stopping. I finally fall over a rock and slide down a small ravine, into a stream. My hands and knees sting. I hold my hands up into the light. Blood streaks from little cuts all over my palms. Edward has disappeared. Great, fucker must've been getting even with me. The tears return and I sit on my knees, hands covering my face, and sob in the middle of the running water.

Warm arms wrap around me and I am lifted up. I smell his woodsy scent before I open my eyes. My Jacob. "Are you okay honey?" he asks in a low voice. "I'm so sorry Jacob," I manage to choke out before another sob rips through me. He rubs my back as he carries me through the forest. "Shh, shh, it's going to be alright love," he whispers over and over. I cling to him with all of my strength, my face buried in his bare chest. I listen to the steady cadence of his breathing and it begins to calm my scattered mind.

He doesn't talk as he brings us closer to home. He just holds me tight. We enter the house through the back door, but the living room is fill of people, I can see them from the entryway. The looks he gave everyone who saw us kept them from coming close. Jake paused once only, looking at Edward. When Edward nodded, Jake smiled in thanks, and finished the ascent to our room."Door's locked, I forgot," I whisper as we reach the door. "No, Bella unlocked it honey," he replies and opens the door. He lays me down on the bed and kisses my forehead,"Stay here while I run your bath, please." I nod slightly, not trusting myself to speak. He smiles a sad smile and walks into the bathroom. I shed my hoodie and boots before curling up in a ball in the middle of the bed. I replay the evenings events in my mind in a loop, a sinking feeling in my stomach growing more prominent with each pass. I'd ruined everything. My boyfriend has been trying to protect me and I tore him apart in front of our family. I was a bigger asshole than Edward. My hands curl into fists on the sides of my head. What the hell was I thinking that I ever believed that I wasn't going to mess this up? I smack my fists against my head. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You have, had?, the most amazing boyfriend in the world and you had to pick a fight with him in front of everyone, (_smack_)your parents are dead and its your fault, (_smack_)your uncle emotionally distant and is secretly glad _YOU_ are out of the house,(_smack_) your sister is in love with a vampire who could kill her on a whim if he got hungry,(_smack_) and your adopted family is a mish mash of creatures out of horror stories and comic books and yet you are the one to go and turn it all into a clusterfuck. Yep, this is me. Carlie Swan, professional fuck up. (_Smack, smack, smack, smack_)

Large, soft hands take mine and pull them away from my head. "Don't hit yourself Carlie," Jake chides," It scares me." My eyes snap open and immediately find him gazing down at me. I feel him gently relaxing my hands out of their tight fists, "Talk to me love," he whispers,"Tell me to go away. Yell at me. Talk to me about the weather. Anything. Just say something, please." I pull a hand free and caress his dark cheek, "I love you." Jake's face lights up and he exhales a breath," Love you more." I push myself up on my elbows, "Kiss me Jacob. I'm sorry for being so cruel, I promise I will never do it again. But please, kiss me, before I lose my mind." Something in his eyes shift, going from sad and cautious to wary and hopeful, "Are you sure?" I nod,"Yes, I am." He leans into me slowly and my eyes close reflexively. Feather light touches against my lips, sending a current running through my body with every kiss. I push myself into his lips, unsatisfied with tenative and chaste. We hadn't made love since that first time. He'd been mortified with himself for being so rough with me, even after I had explained that he hadn't hurt me, that I had been with someone, once, before. He was afraid and I was sick of him being afraid for me. That's what led to our explosion tonight. I wanted all of him, not just the insanely restrained version of him. I was tired of excuses and avoidance. A low growl rumbles out of me and Jake draws back with a look of confusion on his face,"What's wrong?" I press my body up against his,"I need you Jacob." "Carlie, I don't want to hurt you," his voice almost a plea. "Please Jake, I need you so badly it hurts," I whimper. My eyes close as I wait for that final rejection that is sure to come. It always does.

It doesn't. Nothing comes. I feel him rise from the bed and start pacing the room. The bitter taste of rejection washes through me again. Fresh tears streak their way down my face. I get up from the bed and plod towards the bathroom, finally defeated. "Nessie stop," Jake says just as I shut the door. I lean forward until my head touches the wood, "It's alright Jake. I finally understand, "I proclaim, "I won't ask you anymore. I'm sorry that I put you through all of this because of my hormones. I just want to get a shower and go to bed now." "Carlie, open the door," Jake snarls,"We need to talk now before this gets anymore out of hand." I tap my head off the door for a minute, then sigh,"Can I get cleaned up first? Then we can talk Jake. Promise." He mumbles something to himself, then I hear, "Okay, but if you're not out here in 20 minutes I'm taking the door off of the hinges. Got it?" "Yeah, I got it jake," I groan and strip off the filthy clothes. I pull the drain plug for the bath he had ran and turn on the shower. The water is so hot, it almost burns, but I step in anyway, needing the heat to loosen my sore muscles and maybe burn away my shame.

Exactly 19 minutes later, I swing open the door and steam pours into my room. Jake is sitting on the couch, elbows on knees and head in hands. He doesn't look up as I walk by to get my brush. I flop onto the bed and remove the towel from my hair. I manage to get my hair untangled without tearing out too much of my hair. I glance over at him; he hasn't moved. I toss my towel in the direction of the bathroom and lay down on my side, careful to turn away from the figure frozen on my couch. I have nearly given in to sleep when he slides in behind me, arms automatically snaking around me and hugging me against him. As soon as I'm in his arms, my body relaxes, letting the current flow through me. He pushes his face into my hair and lets out a sigh of content. "I'm sorry," I whisper. He hugs me closer, "So am I. Do we talk now or in the morning?" I contemplate than answer,"Now is probably best." He lifts himself up on one elbow," Carlie, I'm protective of you because you don't heal like I do or the Cullen's do. I know you are a strong, independent woman. I understand that and love that about you, but you are so fragile, emotionally and physically. You don't need more scars added to the pile." "But Jacob, if you go through life never taking any chances, you'll wake up one day and discover that you're nothing but a bitter shell because you regret not taking those opportunities when they presented themselves." I argue," Sometimes you must risk body, mind, and soul to find out if what you are doing is the right thing for you." He lets out a hard, frustrated laugh, "No offense love, but you aren't exactly the best judge of character when it comes to right or wrong, good and evil." I bite back my flaring temper and take a deep breath. "Jacob, do you honestly fucking believe that we would be together if we hadn't taken a shitload of risks just to see each other?" He makes a sound like I'd just hit him in the stomach and I instantly regret my blunt honesty. "I'm sorry Jake, I shouldn't have said that." He presses his lips against my shoulder,"Don't apologize for being honest Carlie. You're right, both of us made a lot of risky decisions so we could be together. What makes it so hard is that now those same decisions could mean life or death for you honey. In a house that vampires are always in, I never get a chance to forget that I'm the monster now, that I could hurt you or kill you the first second that I am distracted or lose my temper."

I can't argue with him because I knew it was true. Jake's self control was tested every day by the presence of our adopted family. We all understood, as best we could, and everyone helped him and the other wolves work with that control. The vampires and the wolves largely played nice because of Bella and me, but true feelings of friendship had begun to form and that had to mean something. "Jake, yes, I realize that it's hard sometimes, but what you aren't seeing is that this is hard for everyone. Between the crazed vampires, bratty werewolves, and lunatic witches, we have created the most unstable family in the history of the world. Every single member of this dysfunctional family has to navigate their path very carefully on a daily basis. That song and dance isn't all that different from a regular family. Most regular families don't have their natural enemies living under the same roof as them. If anyone should be guilty and having a nervous breakdown, it should be me and Bella because everyone has fought so hard to get along for our sake," I turn and look at him, "You have no idea what it is like to live with the knowledge that if something goes wrong, it will be your fault. Here's the kicker Jake; if something goes wrong, most likely people will die. People you love will kill one another because instinct tells them it's right. Live knowing that if that did happen, neither side would hold it against you even though they were put into a position for it to happen because of you. I wake up every fucking day knowing that come sunset, one of us could be dead and it would be my fault all over again." I slide out of the bed and light a cigarette, refusing to look at him. I don't fight the tears this time. Too much guilt from asking so much out of so many is just too much of a burden to carry right now. He sits up and looks at me, his arms imploring me to return to them when there's a knock on the door.

**I'm sorry I ended it right there but this one is getting really long and it's only the beginning of their weekend!!!**

**I hope that you understand the 180 with Carlie and Jake's relationship...they are teenagers after all!!!!**

_**Please, I beg you, REVIEW!! *gets on knees, puts hands together, tilts head while making sad puppy eyes***_

**I love my story, but it's really wearing me down that I'm not getting many reviews. Lots of love to those that have reviewed, you make my day! If you like my story, please leave a review and maybe pimp me out to other readers, if you want. In case you havent noticed, I have a huge self esteem problem. I know, TMI. Sorry. I'll shut up and go back to my little corner now with my laptop in tow.**

A/N go look Red vs Blue up on YouTube, it's great!


	19. Part 19 Fucking with Siege Engines

**As if you didn't know, I don't anything associated with Twilight or any other copyrighted material I talk about though I do stalk the vamps and werewolves as often as I can...at least in my dreams ;-)**

**To those who take the time to review- I fucking love you guys!!! Keep them coming!!! Feed my fragile ego!!!**

**Another lemon inside. tell me how I did with it!**

**little FYI here- Mischa is pronounced 'Meesha'..it was a nickname a friend gave to me about a century ago in high school. I decided to recycle it and use it as a character name.**

**Celldweller****-Stay With Me (Unlikely) ****Lyrics**

Sick of this mind and the games it plays mental enemieememieenemies want to push me back again here they come running wanting me up on that tree, crucified

(wait a minute)  
Whatever words they say (me who said it)  
whomever they betray (me who did it)  
whenever they're awake it makes me die

There's so much on my mind, we're given so little time there's no way to hold on as it passes by so lead me into denial, help me forget for awhile stay with me, please please don't go

Stay with me, please don't go I don't want to be alone stay with me, please

Sick of this mind and the games it plays mental enemieenemieenemies want to push me back again here they come running wanting me up on that tree, crucified

(wait a minute)  
Whatever words they say (me who said it)  
whomever they betray (me who did it)  
whenever they're awake it makes me die

There's so much on my mind, we're given so little time there's no way to hold on as it passes by so lead me into denial, help me forget for awhile stay with me, please please don't go

Stay with me, please don't go I don't want to be alone stay with me, please

I don't have much else to say (unlikely)  
I'd rather you go away (unlikely)  
I don't need something from you (unlikely)

Though some say I will heal over time it doesn't seem too likely it seems unlikely please, please don't go

Stay with me, please don't go I don't want to be alone stay with me, please don't go stay with me, please

**Part 19**

**Fucking with Siege Engines aka Let the Chaos Commence**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

We can hear Carlie screaming at Jacob, "Jake, yes, I realize that it's hard sometimes, but what you aren't seeing is that this is hard for everyone. Between the crazed vampires, bratty werewolves, and lunatic witches, we have created the most unstable family in the history of the world. Every single member of this dysfunctional family has to navigate their path very carefully on a daily basis. That song and dance isn't all that different from a regular family. Most regular families don't have their natural enemies living under the same roof as them though. If anyone should be guilty and having a nervous breakdown, it should be me and Bella because everyone has fought so hard to get along for our sake! You have no idea what it is like to live with the knowledge that if something goes wrong, it will be your fault. Here's the kicker Jake; if something goes wrong, most likely people will die. People you love will kill one another because instinct tells them it's right. Live knowing that if that did happen, neither side would hold it against you even though they were put into a position for it to happen because of you. I wake up every fucking day knowing that come sunset, one of us could be dead and it would be my fault all over again!"

I look at my family, the expressions on their faces range from disgust to outright rage. Carlisle is the first one to speak, "Carlie seems to be under the impression we are forever on the verge of murdering one another and that it is her and Bella's fault somehow. We must put an end to her self-induced agony before she does something drastic." His soft golden eyes fall on me,"Will you please ask Carlie and Jacob if they would attend a family meeting? This needs to be addressed as soon as possible." I dislodge myself from Edward's lap, "Of course Carlisle. I'd like a word or two with her myself. I'm tired of her blaming herself for everything that goes wrong." "That's the pot calling the kettle black little sister," Emmett whispers as I walk by. "STFU Em," I reply in a flat voice as I start up the stairs. "What's STFUM?" Emmett asks no one in particular.

**(Carlie's ****POV**)

I don't fight the tears this time. Too much guilt from asking so much out of so many is just too much of a burden to carry right now. He sits up and looks at me, his arms imploring me to return to them when there's a knock on the door.

"Family meeting. Now. Get your butt in gear," Bella demands from the other side of the door,"Now open this door before I blast it to pieces. You have five seconds." She begins counting and I yank open the door with a "What the fuck do you want Bella?!" I have never seen the look of absolute fury on my twin's face before. "The whole family has heard every word you just said Carlie and you're wondering what I could possibly want?" Bella shrieks at me, "For being such a smart girl, you can be so unfuckingbelievably stupid, you know that? You know what? Nevermind. Don't answer that. We all know how you feel about yourself. Get. Down. Stairs. Now." She articulates every word with a finger pointing back out the door. I go to protest, but she stomps her foot and exaggerates the pointing. "You too Jacob," she orders as I pass her and drag my not-so-happy-ass down to the living room, where my mismatched band of insane family members await.

Carlisle lifts an eyebrow upon spotting my menthol, but I ignore it, instead sitting down on the floor and reclining against the wall, closing my eyes as I do so. I feel someone sit down beside me so I peer to my side from under my eyelashes. Esme. She holds an arm out and I sink against her with a sigh. She's not our birth mother, but the closest thing we've found since that fateful day. Her cold arms pull me snugly against her marble form and lays her cheek on my head. "Things will turn out for the best dear," she mutters as she holds me, rocking slightly. It's a comforting gesture. I can hear Jake sit down on Esme's other side and she also draws him into her embrace, holding us both lovingly.

Emmett breaks the silence, his voice filled with hurt,"Why would you think that we are always about ready to kill each other sis? I know we get on each others nerves now and then, but I barely even consider killing the mongrels nowadays." My head snaps up, glaring daggers at Emmett, "Because of shit like that Em. You fuckers can't go five fucking minutes without throwing out some kind of derogatory remark about each other. Did I mention Rosalie's absolute fucking disdain for anyone that isn't a vampire yet? Because that's another big one. And what about Jasper's constant remarks about the wolves affinity for roadkill? I can't take it anymore. The only fucking family I have left are constantly trying to provoke fights, never worrying about the people that actually might miss the one they're trying to kill. Us humans aren't allowed to be part of anything, but are expected to deal with everyones shit because we are the weaker species in all of this, and don't think we aren't reminded every fucking day about how inferior we are in comparison."

My family's masks of anger evolve into looks of shame. They know that I'm right. I might be human, but I'm not entirely brainless. I had an epiphany in that moment, as I looked at my impossible family. Not a single one of them had realized what their actions had been doing to Bella and me and, to an extent, Mischa and Allen. It was their reaction to the word 'inferior' that did it. Edward and Jacob felt it the least because they spent most of their time with us humans, but the others felt the repercussions of their antics quite keenly now. "We are so sorry," Alice wails as she darts across the room to envelop me in her tiny arms. "We never meant to hurt your feelings or make you feel inadequate in any way little sister," she mutters into my neck, her shoulders rattling against me with tearless sobbing. The room thaws out then, vampires and werewolves turning to one another and apologizing with apparent heartfelt honesty. Us four humans are hugged and kissed nearly to death in their attempts at reconciliation.

Once the supernatural love-fest subsides a bit, Bella suggests that we continue our weekend as planned, to prove to ourselves and each other that the bonds we currently felt were real instead of a Jasper "happy-to-spill-your-guts"induced euphoria. Emmett, Rose, and Jake agree to recalibrate the second catapult for us humans as long as we agreed to be shot into a large pond on the northeastern side of our property. It also had to be done under supervision from either Carlisle or Edward, obvious choices because of ther medical expertise. We could hardly argue with that logic, so we didn't. By 3:30 am, all of those who required sleep finally shuffling off to bed. Jake and I hadn't spoken in hours, but not in an comfortable way. He'd pulled me into his lap about one and I'd been there ever since, wrapped in an ivory blanket and my head nestled into the crook of his neck as he talked and laughed with the others.

A moment of hilarity passed between Bella and I when I opened my eyes at one point and found her across the couch from me; our positions reflecting the another perfectly. She was snuggled up to Edward, a midnight blue cashmere throw cocooned around her to protect her from her boyfriends icy touch. We exchanged gentle smiles and wiggled deeper into our significant others embrace. I'd drifted in and out after that, only stirring when Jacob hefted me up to take me to bed. Once again, our actions were mirrored. Edward led the way up and as our boys were walking, Bella's hand reached from around Edward, searching for mine. I reflexively held my own out to her and our boyfriends' matched their paces so that we could hold hands as we were carried to our rooms. I gave a gentle squeeze before releasing her hand when they had reached their door.*_Love you sis_* we thought to each other in the last second of contact. I vaguely remember my werewolf placing me in the bed and kissing me on the forehead before everything dimmed.

I am awakened to an evil pixie jumping up and down on my bed,"Time to get up Nessie!" Alice is squeaking as she bounces, her inky spikes nearly touching the ceiling. "Ugh, hyper much pixie? What time is it?" I rasp as I try to clear the fog from my brain. "It's 7:30 Nessie...you gotta get uupp," she whines and drops with perfect grace into a cross-legged position beside me. I rub my face,"Don't you have another best friend to annoy to death or is that deed already done?" She pats my leg,"She's awake already silly. Breakfast time for the humans! Move it or I carry you!" I stretch and throw the covers off,"Fine, I'm up, now go annoy your asshole brother or something." She give me a peck on the nose,"10 minutes is all you have before I drag you down those steps Carlie Swan, so don't even think about going back to sleep." With that, Alice leaps from the bed and skips out the door, humming what eerily reminds me of 'Sit on My Face' from Monty Python.

9 minutes and 57 seconds later, I enter the kitchen, making a beeline for the coffee pot. I receive jumbled good mornings from all of the food eaters as I stalk passed them and out onto the deck for my morning smoke. Edward is already there, my half of the newspaper waiting. It's become a morning ritual for my semi-brother-in-law and me. Every morning we have a smoke and read the morning paper together while I drink my coffee. When the weather cooperates, we meet on the deck; when it doesn't, we meet in the sunroom. No one bothers us during these times, not even Bella or Jacob. Of course, they have their own little ritual too, but I've never tried to figure out what it was. It's a mutual respect thing.

"Morning sis," Edward mutters and hands me a lit cigarette as I take my seat. "Morning. I'm going to raid your sister's closet and burn all of her clothes the next time she uses my bed as a trampoline to wake me up," I reply. Alice pokes her head out briefly to stick her tongue out at me and hand me my cream cheese bagel. I thank her and reach for the paper,"Let's see if I'm dead yet." Edward snickers, "Let me know so I can throw a party in your honor." He knows that I check the obituaries every morning to see if I died during the night. It's a stupid, morbid thing, but I've done it since I was a kid. As I scan the paper, I notice that there are three people under the age of 18 are having memorial services held for them. All three are also from the Seattle area. Hmm, well Seattle is the suicide capital of the world. I wonder if it has anything to do with the constant cover of clouds and rain? I muse to myself.

"So, what horrific bouts of torture is Alice cooking up for us today?" I ponder. Edward turns the page of the Business section, "I'm fairly certain that Caber Tossing, Birling, and Boom Running are involved." I look up from my page,"Was I supposed to understand a word of what you just said?" A smirk graces his face,"They are lumberjack sports that happen to occur in water. Caber Tossing is where you toss a log end over end as far as you can. Birling is log rolling, where you run on a spinning log and try to outrun your opponent enough to knock them in the water. Boom Running is basically running back and forth on telephone poles attached together in a long line across a lake." I grimace,"Ah, I see. Alice is going to kill us all via water torture. Wonderful." I snort. "First warm days of spring that are over 70 F and Evil Tinkerbell decides to use water torture to keep us in line." Edward shrugs, not bothering to explain his erratic sister's behavior.

About an hour later, as is custom, Jake and Bella come and sit at the table with us. Bella's mouth is turned down into a tiny frown. Edward kisses it,"What's wrong angel?" Bella glares into the house,"Event Nazi Alice is preparing her angle of attack. It evidently involves us girls wearing bikini's." His eyes light up, "Well, it may not be such a bad day after all Nessie." I kick him under the table," That's nice Assward. Let me guess, you're bathing suit is going to be a teeny-weeny little polka-dot bikini?" He laughs," You're number one sis." How easily we revert to our antagonistic roles after our comfortable morning ritual concludes. Jake looks at Bella,"How does Alice keep ending up a Nazi?" She shrugs,"She can be very forceful when it comes to doing things her way. We know she has no prejudice's but it's fun to come up with different Nazi names for her management of different events."

Mischa and Allen shuffle out, still in their t-shirts and flannel pants, coffee mugs firmly in hand. "Wow, first they're witches, now they're zombies. Quite frankly, I think they traded up," Quil remarks as he and Embry bring their breakfast outside. Everyone repositions themselves to make room for the new bodies at the table. "Fuck you Quil," Allen grumbles, lighting his and Mischa's cigarettes. I readjust myself and set my feet in Quil's lap, savoring the warmth against my cold feet. I lay my head against Jake's shoulder and close my eyes. This weekend is going to definitely end up in Edward and Jasper's 'No Shit There I Was' story collection.

After breakfast, the girl's get roped in by Alice to get dressed for the day and the guys wander off to set up a few shelters down by the large pond where the bulk of today's activities will take place. Because Alice's vision is interrupted by the wolves, no one wants to take any chances with us humans getting sick if it starts raining. It's kind of funny, considering that most of today's games involve getting wet.

Once up on the second floor, Alice resumes her Event Nazi status and hands each one of us a garment bag with instructions to put everything in the bag on before gracing her presence again. Rose and Esme have no trouble with Alice's orders while Bella, Mischa, and I gaze warily at the bags as we walk to my room. Mischa goes straight to the bathroom with her things, locking the door behind her. Bella touches my hand *I_s she okay? She looked petrified when Alice handed her the bag._* Mischa is very sensitive about her weight. She has a hormonal disorder that prevents her from keeping an ideal weight. I think all of this to Bella and she sighs *_She's a beautiful girl, she shouldn't be so self-conscious over something like that. Heck, I wish I had her curves._* I raise an eyebrow *_Says the woman who feels like a hag around Rosalie. How do you think Mischa feels?_* Bella shakes her head *M_y insecurities aren't just about Rose herself, you know that. How would you feel if you found out that the most beautiful woman in the world had originally been intended for your boyfriend and he chose you instead?_* I chuckle softly *_I'd say that my boyfriend was pretty damn smart then because he didn't base his love off of how pretty someone was and actually made sure she had a brain first._* She smiles *_Good point. So what are we going to do about it?_* I pull my overdress on.*_We're going to give her the full Alice Makeover Experience if she lets us._*

We hear the bathroom door open and Mischa exits with a disdainful look on her face,"I am not fucking wearing that. Alice is insane! Fat people don't wear bikini's or bathing suits. They sit on benches and make fun of the skinny people while wanting to crawl in a hole and die." Bella throws her things on the bed,"Don't talk about yourself like that Mischa. You're not fat. You're curvy and I wish I was like that. I'm just a stick. If I had short hair, everyone would think I was a boy." Mischa rolls her eyes,"Of course! That's easy for you to say because you actually have a boyfriend who follows you around like a lost puppy while composing music to tell you how breathtaking you are." She lights a cigarette and walks over to the window I had jumped out of the day before.

Suddenly, the bedroom door is kicked open, splintering in places. There stands Alice, looking every bit the vampire, her tiny hands clenched in fists," Mischa Cole! Get your ass to my room this instant! I'm tired of you putting yourself down when you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of! I, a vampire, am so damn envious of the body you have that I could scream! So stop with the pity party and let's go. I'm going to make you so gorgeous that the boys will have to go take a cold shower every time you walk in the room!"

Mischa looks at Alice like she's an escaped mental patient, then shakes her head,"Nah, I think I'll pass pixie. I don't think they make designer moo-moos in size 18's. I'll just stay here and listen to Carlie's iPod. Thanks for the offer though." Alice crosses the room at vampire speed,"Oh no, you didn't realize that I wasn't giving you a choice in this honey. Even if I have to knock you out while I work on you this is going to be done my way. You are too beautiful to hide behind those horrid baggy jeans and hoodies all the time." Mischa glares at Alice, unshed tears shining in her hazel eyes,"Alice, knock me out if you feel that's what you need to do, but there is no way in hell that I'm going down in front of everyone in a bathing suit and if you force me to, I will never come back here again, I swear to the gods I mean it Alice Cullen. I'm not like Carlie and Bella, I don't do Guinea Pig Barbie. I don't do cute and girlie. And I certainly don't fucking do bathing suits in front of the beautiful people just so I can be laughed at when they think I'm not looking."

Alice clasps her hands together and pleas with her,"Please Mischa! I hate it that you look down on yourself so much, I just wanted to help make you feel better, I promise." Mischa puts her head down, her long auburn curls falling around her, purple streaks shining in the sun. I can see a tear roll down her rosy cheeks,"I can't Alice. I don't want to be that girl, the one who has to give up everything she is and look like a poster child for a teen gossip magazine just so the boys will talk to her. I like my Doc Marten's, blue jeans, and hoodies. I'm not going to do stupid human tricks and be forced into someones vision of what I should look like. I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for something I'm not. Now leave it alone Alice, or I'm going to go home." Alice stands there, perplexed. No one has ever been able to resist her before. Mischa ignores the little vampire and stares out into the forest. After a few moments, Alice's shoulder's slump and she turns to go," I'm sorry Mischa. I didn't realize that you thought I was trying to make you into something you're not. I just..." her voice trails off and she bolts from the room. I turn to Bella, who is watching the auburn haired witch pick at her chipped black nail polish and smoke her cigarette. "I'm going to go check on the boys, see if they have stopped beating on each other with the poles and actually got to work on the shelters," Bella mumbles and walks out of the room.

I go over and steal the menthol from between Mischa's fingers, taking a long drag before speaking." You know, I think that is the first time anyone has ever made Alice back down from one of her crazy ass makeovers, vampire or otherwise. You should be proud of yourself." She gives me a tight smile,"Yeah, well you just gotta know how to deal with hyper vampires with OCD tendencies. It's a little talent of mine." I shrug,"I'm not saying to give in, but I want you to know that she really was just trying to help. She just forgets to ask if her subjects are actually willing or not." Mischa takes her cigarette back," I understand that, but she's so damn spoiled that she didn't consider that I don't care what people think about my clothes. I wear what I like. Now if she could find me some suicide pants in my size, I'd be there in a heartbeat."

"What the hell happened to the door?" Jacob asks, eyeing the shattered wood. "Alice attempted a hostile makeover," I answer honestly. He snickers,"I guess that assault was successfully repelled? Unless she was able to take Bell's as a hostage?" I shake my head,"No, Bella went out to see how far you boys made it on the shelters. How did you manage to get out of that anyway?" He shows me the leg of his jeans, there is a long tear up the back of his thigh, a ribbon of blood drying on the fabric. "Me, Embry, and Edward were stripping bark off of trees and Quil decided to ambush me. I got skewered on one of the broken branches when I landed," he explains. I rush over,"Let me see it!" I drop to my knees and pull the flaps of denim apart. A jagged pink scar about 4 inches long is all that's left of his wound. "Please tell me you got out all of the wood splinters before it healed," I beg. He nods, "Yes I did. Carlisle had to use a scalpel for two or three of them, but that's all." I plant a kiss on the wound and stand," I thought I asked you to be careful." He dips his head and kisses me," I am careful. Blame Quil this time, he's the one who attacked me, remember?" I rub his buzz cut,"Alright, tell Quil if he does it again, he'll spend a week as a neon pink wolf, got it?" Another kiss,"Yes love, now I have to go before they send someone in to rescue me from enemy territory. Love you." "Love you too." I hug him a quick hug and a smack on the ass as he exits. "Woo-hoo!" he laughs as he goes, new jeans in hand.

I turn to Mischa,"You alright now?" She bobs her head and smiles, this time it reaches her eyes, "Yep." She pops the 'p' as she hops out of the windowsill. "I just need to get dressed and I'll be down. I'm fine, I promise Nessie," she adds when my expression becomes concerned. "Okay, we'll meet you downstairs then hun, yell if you need anything." I start to leave then stop,"You really are beautiful, you know, I'd kill to have a body like yours. Maybe then Jake wouldn't be afraid to make love to me if I looked less breakable." I leave before she can give me one of her smart-ass comebacks.

Down by the lake/pond/water feature thing, it is utter chaos. The guys have two of the four canopies erected but are currently out on the floating chained logs and fencing with the aluminum poles. My mouth drops open when I see that Carlisle is amidst the madness, reminding me of Wesley in the Princess Bride as he parries an attack from Jasper. I've never seen Carlisle break his calm demeanor so completely to joke around with the boys. Edward is matched against Embry, who seems to be holding his own. There is a splash and I see Quil laughing like a maniac at Emmett, who is resurfacing at the werewolves feet. Allen and Jacob are nearly motionless, each holding two poles that are almost touching. It looks like the dance of two cobra's, swaying to and fro, eyes seeking an opening to deliver the killing strike. They lunge and slash, parry and repost, moving back and forth across the logs. Then, in a flash, Allen moves with the grace of an accomplished swordsman, delivering two slices across Jacob's chest. In the attempt to avoid being struck, Jake had leaned too far back, so when the blows fall, he is overbalanced and goes crashing into the water. The girls already on the shore cheer and Allen bows, then yelps as Jacob grabs his ankles and tosses Allen over his head and into the pond.

"That's enough boys," Esme commands in her 'Mom' voice,"We don't want those poles broken before we get a chance to use the shelters. If you want to fence, go up to the house and get the Schlagers', they won't break as easily, but I want these canopies up before any of you run off and leave it to us ladies." "Okay Mom," they answer in unison as they return to their task. She smiles smugly as she takes her post as overseer. Mischa comes to a stop right in front of me, laughing at the spectacle before her. I give her an easy smile as I look her over. Black eyeliner, leather bracers, Marilyn Manson tee, black cargo pants, and her scuffed boots. That's my Mischa, purple hair streaks and all. I put my hands on her right shoulder and rest my head on them as we watch the monkeywrenchers do their stuff. Bella comes over and takes her spot up on Mischa's other shoulder soon after. They manage to knock one of the shelters over twice while trying to get the third one up.

That's when we decide to step in. "Allen!" we call to him simultaneously as we link hands. He jogs over and takes his place at Bella's left, taking her little hand into his own.*_Ready?_* Bella's thoughts flow to us. We nod and draw our will as one. All four of the canopies fly into the air and begin dancing and twisting around above the heads of our startled family. Allen makes a pole chase Emmett around until Bells makes him focus. The symphony of clinks and snaps echo through the yard as we turn four canopies into a single larger one and lower it down to the grass.

Everyone stares at us for the span of a heartbeat, then bursts into applause and cheers. "Maybe we should get the Wicked Witches to help more often,"Edward guffaws as he elbows Jasper in the ribs. We look like a quartet of Cheshire cats as we saunter down the hill, still holding hands. Someone turns on the music and the games begin. Alice reappears after a while, hugging Mischa intensely before launching into a play-by-play satirical commentary of the events unfolding before us. It doesn't take long before we are standing on the picnic tables, cheering and taunting one another like a bunch of crazed idiots. None of us mind though, it's the most anyone has been able to just cut loose and have a good time without fear of being caught in what seems like forever.

When we take a break for lunch, Jake swoops me up and gives me a very deep kiss in front of the gang, not pulling away until we are bombarded with taunts, laughter, and he's hit in the back with a wet teddy bear. He looks at me, eyes ablaze and his face flushed. "I love you," he whispers before setting me on his lap. "Man, you two are almost as bad as Em and Rose," Edward complains, tossing a chip at Jake's head. He dodges it,"That's saying a whole lot coming from the guy who dry humps his girlfriend while kissing her in public Assward," Jake fires back, evil grin on his face. Mock-anger crosses Edward's features,"Hey! No one call me Assward except for the little tart covering your boner Jac-off." Emmett falls out of his camp chair, he's laughing so hard, Jasper is covering his grin with his hand, and Carlisle is biting his cheek while looking away. Esme gives them both a disapproving look and the subject moves on to less explicit matters.

*_Look at Mischa_* Jake thinks to me as we eat. I steal a glance in her direction and laugh. She is at the other table, wedged between Quil and Embry, who are vying for her attention. *_That's too funny_* I think back *_That will do wonders for her self esteem. Thanks sweetheart_.* He shakes his head slightly *I_ didn't ask them to do that. They did it all on their own._* My eyes widen for a moment, then I hurriedly put my head back down *S_he definitely has admirers in those two. __Quil__ just did the hair-tucking-behind-the-ear-maneuver._* Jake looks quickly and snickers *Y_eah, and __Embry__ just did the little rubs to the small of her back. This is like watching the Discovery Channel!_* I drop my forking, laughing *_Yeah, Jeff __Corwin__ doing commentary on the mating rituals of the modern werewolf_!* Bella looks at me, head tilted*_What's so funny?_* I relay the conversation to her and Edward and soon they're laughing and observing as well.

Jasper leans over until his lips touch my ear, "What's going on that you're all laughing like wild hyenas?" I show him and he begins doing a very bad impression of Steve Irwin, "Crikey! The young werewolf blokes are doing their best dancing before the young sheila, proudly displaying their merits in hopes of impressing her. Uh-oh, she didn't like that joke. Dangah, dangah, dangah!" Alice folds herself into Jasper's lap, "Geez Edward, you look like you're going to eat Bella, have any to spare?" she teases. His arms tighten around her waist, "Sorry Alice, I don't think I do. One question though; how does someone so fucking small manage to be such a big annoyance?" She shrugs and smiles, "It's a talent." We all laugh and settle in, listening to Jasper's commentary as we eat. Allen is obliviously sitting over by Carlisle, engrossed in a heated conversation over the schlagers' Carlisle had retrieved from his home. Esme is at Carlisle's side, head resting against his shoulder and eyes closed, soaking in the sun through her sparkling skin.

After lunch, Emmett decides it's time to play with the water balloons. This fact is made known to the rest of us when a red ball flies out of nowhere and crashes into the back of Quil's head, soaking him when it explodes. The event turns into a Scooby-Doo chase scene put to Benny Hill music as the gang runs around the property, heaving balloons at each other. The supernaturally inclined are more gentle with us humans, but we do not fully escape their notice. Every now and again, they'll slow down just enough so that we get a chance to lob a few water grenades at them, but then speed back up, turning into blurs racing across the field. Laughter echoes through the valley and it is infectious. All afternoon, there isn't one unsmiling face amongst our merry band of outcasts. I give a sigh of relief as I watch the chaos; if this doesn't prove that this is a real family with true bonds of love, nothing will.

Early in the evening, the werewolves babysit us while the vampires go off to hunt. Emmett thoughtfully brought down about 50 of his favorite video games out of his massive collection to keep us occupied in their absence. They went to hunt early because the boys had agreed last night that tonight would be a good night for fireworks and they didn't want to be setting them off too late into the night. I'm sitting on the deck taking a smoke break when something catches my eye. Down in the growing shadow of the garage is Quil, leaning against the wall with his legs spread apart and Mischa standing between them, hands linked with his. I gasp quietly as Quil leans forward and lays a chaste kiss on her cheek, then on her lips. They jump apart as Embry stalks around the corner, carrying a Red Bull for each of them. I shake my head. I guess the Mating Dance continues. I feel Jake's head on my shoulder as his arms wrap around me,"It's good to see them having fun," he comments, pointing his chin in the trio's direction. I lean back against his chest and nod,"Yeah, too bad one of them didn't imprint on her though. If this turns into something with either of them, it's going to end badly when they finally find their imprints. I'd hate to see any of them hurt like that." I nods but adds nothing else.

I finish my cigarette and feel his lips on my neck as I put it out. My body is electrified and I instinctively move my head so he has better access to my skin. My arms find their way up and around his neck and push him into my neck. He responds with a low growl and his hips twitch against me. I can feel his excitement as he grinds against me and I gasp. "Why don't we take advantage of everyones preoccupation?" his lips tremble against my flesh. He doesn't wait for answer. I am picked up and carried to our room as I seek his lips and find them very willing to oblige my silent plea. He sets me on the bed and breaks contact long enough to slide the couch in front of the cracked door, then races back to me.

He strips us both down immediately before kissing me all over. I feel him flick his tongue against my stomach and I shiver. His strong hands roam eagerly, rememorizing every curve and crevice. My nipples harden into stiff peaks as his hot breath washes over them and my breath catches in my throat. He hovers above my right nipple, eyes dark with desire, "Tell me what you want Carlie," he says in a husky voice. I bite my lip and arch myself toward his full lips, but he moves back and shakes his head, "No, you have to tell me. I want to hear you say it." "P-please Jacob," I stammer, the movement of his hands scattering my thought process. He gives me a little, evil grin, "Say it all love." A whimper escapes me, my body writhing under his touch, "Touch me please Jacob, I need you," I manage to rasp out. He smiles again and lowers his head to my nipple, sucking it into his hot mouth. My back snaps up against him and my eyes roll back as he wraps one arm around me and pulls me closer to his mouth, sucking harder. His other hand finds its way down to my folds which are saturated already. He slides his fingers between them, brushing along my sensitive cluster of nerves. Fluid gushes down my thighs as he rolls and flicks with his fingers and tongue. My breathing comes in uneven gasps while my body trembles and quivers under his ministrations. His mouth takes turns with my stiff peaks, making them ache in the most amazing way. I can feel his rock hard member twitch as he grinds his hips against my leg.

I'm half out of my mind when he pulls away and I can feel the tears instantly in my eyes. We hadn't made love since our first night in this house. He had found the bruises left on my hips by his hands and has refused to let it progress any further than this since. Our argument from yesterday springs back to mind and a defeated sigh bursts from me. I start rolling over to retrieve my clothes when he pushes me back down on the mattress. "Where do you think you're going?" he questions as his hand finds my entrance and slides a finger into me. My hips buck against him and I moan open-mouthed. "I love that sound," he says and adds another finger. It earns him another moan and twitch. He watches me as his fingers slide in and out with increasing speed. My moans turn into cries, so I bite my hand. Jake pulls it away, "I want to hear how good I make you feel." I grab my breasts, twisting and punching my nipples, matching his rhythm. His hooded lids move back and forth, watching my hands and his fingers pounding into my sex. I can feel my insides tightening and so can he,"Almost there love," he whispers and licks my left nipple while increasing his tempo. He then lowers himself, face hovering above my mound, "Now," he commands and his mouth latches onto my little cluster and sucks hard. My body responds to his order, my orgasm crashes down on me like a tidal wave and cries of pleasure fill the room. "You taste so good," He moans as I writhe against him.

He continues sucking and licking, savoring the taste, as I come down. "Please Jacob, I need you to make me yours again," I whimper as I try to push myself against him harder. "Tell me what you want," he says, his lips never releasing me. I cry out in frustration, but he doesn't budge. "Tell me Carlie or I stop," he growls, the vibrations making me buck again. "I-I wa- oh that feels so-so good..I want y-you to make l-love to m-me," I finally choke out. His weight shifts as he breaks contact and moves his lips against my ear, "Do you want me to make love to you or do you want me to fuck you Carlie?" He curls the fingers inside me to accentuate his question. Another orgasm rips through me and I say it before my mind can catch up, "Fuck me Jacob," I demand as I grab him and pull his lips to mine. He sits back on his heels, pulling me with him. He removes his fingers to replace them with his hard member. "Jake! You-" "That's why I moved honey, I needed to get a condom," he explains, then pulls me down onto him hard. He churns his hips in slow circles, letting me adjust to his full length, while sucking and licking my throbbing peaks. As soon as I relax, he grasps my hips and begins moving me up and down on his pulsing shaft. I dig my nails into his massive shoulders and throw my head back in ecstasy as his tempo increases with the force of his thrusts."You feel so good wrapped around my cock," he growls around my captured nipple.

I'm using all of my strength to match his pace, my frantic, lust driven words coming out in cries and yelps as he pistons in and out of me. At some point, he lays me back and wraps his hands under my bent knees before continuing with the delicious assault on my body. My hands tangle in my hair over my head and push against the headboard, my body unwilling to just lay there and be passive. My cries turn into screams of overwhelming passion, begging him not to stop. He eagerly complies, gripping my legs harder and begins slamming into me with a force that almost borders on pain. Somewhere in the back of my mind realizes that this is what I want. Not the slow song and dance. I yearn for primal, carnal, and passionate. Orgasm after orgasm explodes through me as I embrace this epiphany, handing myself over to my primal nature. I scratch the rippling muscles of his torso, causing him to emit snarls and growls as he pounds into me again and again. I can feel his thrusts becoming sharper and his breathing more ragged and I pull him down to me. "I'm so close," he whimpers. I shift my head and clamp my teeth down onto his neck. He roars and his hips freeze against me save the light jumps revealing his own orgasm.

We hold each other tightly as we drift down from our erotic euphoria. He rolls us over gently so that I am laying on his chest again. A barely audible rumbling coming out of Jake alerts me to his contetment as his fingers dance up and down my spine. "I love you," I breathe as I wrap my arms around his neck. He squeezes me gently, "Love you more," he mumbles into my hair. I drift on the edges of consciousness, not thinking but simply feeling happiness. I don't know how much time has passed when Jake kisses my head, "They're home sweetheart." I groan,"I don't wanna get up." He chuckles, "Neither do I but you know they will come up and get us if we don't go down. We don't want that do we?" I shake my head against his chest,"No, the thought of Emmett crashing in here with a camera is too damn scary." He lifts my chin and gives me on last kiss before sitting us up.

My legs are rubbery and Jake holds onto my waist for a minute until I'm a little more steady. We hear more voices coming from downstairs and go into a mad dash of redressing, finishing just before we hear Emmett's voice coming from the hallway, "Hey you guys! I'm coming in, ready or not!" The couch is launched forward as Emmett hits the door, completing its destruction. "Look what you did to my fucking door Em!" I yell as I see him, no shit, with a camera in his hands. He looks startled, then disappointed at out clothed appearance,"Oh, sorry, I'll fix it. Um, everyone is waiting on you two to finish playing hide the salami. Time for fireworks!" Jake rolls his eyes, "Oh yippee for you Em, now get the hell out of our room so I can kiss my girl senseless without an audience." Emmett's head drops, "Okay, but you're going to get me in trouble if I go down without you." He turns and plods out the door. "Dammit," I groan and stretch up for a kiss, then grab his hand,"Let's go before Em gets grounded by Carlisle and Esme." Jake laughs, "It might be worth it then." I glower at him and he relents, "Okay honey, just stop giving me the evil eye, my fur might fall out and then you'll have a wolf with nasty bald patches following you around." He swings me up on to his back and sprints down the stairs and down into the yard, where our family awaits.

Once Jake makes sure I'm settled in with the girls, he runs off with the guys, who are setting up the explosive devices. Bella leans over, "You guys made up I'm assuming?" she asks. I leer at her,"What makes you say that?" She snickers despite the blush creeping across her face, "Because you are wearing identical grins. And because Edward won't stop complaining about the smell of dog sperm. I smacked him for it, but he is incorrigible." I choke on my Red Bull when she says it. "What?!" I sputter. Her blush deepens, "Please don't make me repeat it Nessie, it was too embarrassing the first time." I pat her hand, "It's okay sis. I'll kick his ass for it later." Bella shakes her head and puts her arm around me. We snuggle into her blanket together as the chaos commences. Things do start out quite tame, at least for this family. It turns into a whacked out comedy though once people start running around, aiming lit fireworks at one another. The humans make for the shelter of our house at that point, leaving the lunatics to run the asylum for a bit.

We end up piled on the couches in the living room, watching this silly movie about a human teenage girl who falls in love with an emotionally crippled vampire boy. Bella keeps babbling about how beautiful the movie is until I hit her with a pillow. I fall asleep around the time the vampire boy is playing the piano for his human beloved. When I wake up, someones legs are tangled around mine. I uncover my head and peek. It's Bella. I stretch and roll off the couch. After having a human minute, I wander into the kitchen for my coffee. I notice a light drizzle falling outside and trudge towards the sunroom, rubbing the sleep form my eyes. I flop down next to Edward and put my feet up on the coffee table beside his own.

"Morning," I mumble as he slides the pack over to me and catch it before it falls off the seat. "Good morning." he replies, that crooked smile crossing his features as I light my cigarette,"You and Jake make it over your speed bump finally?" I nod, "Yeah, I'm assuming you had something to do with it?" He takes a drag of his cig and nods," Yes. Him and I had a private conversation about how his rejection was damaging your calm and that I didn't appreciate my little sister being so upset all the time over it." I give him a look and he holds a hand up, "I wasn't mean with him Nessie, I swear, I dredged up my best manners to talk to your wolf boy, so don't get all bitchy with me, okay?" "I believe you, but don't think you're off the fucking hook, Bella told me about your little comment last night," I hiss at him. He chuckles,"What would you have thought if I didn't fuck with you, huh? You'd think something is wrong, wouldn't you?" I chew on my lip for a minute, then nod,"You're right. I'll give you that one, but no more quips about my sex life, we're having enough trouble in that area without your help. Deal?" I stick my hand out. He takes it and pumps it once, then kisses the top of it "Deal." I scoot until my back is against his shoulder and we return to the Sunday paper. We fight over the comics section until he finally agrees to read it over my shoulder. Jake brings in my toasted hot ham and cheese sandwich, not saying a word, but kissing my forehead softly before retreating. Edward bitches about some new bailout for another failing bank while I eat and read the Regional section. There's no arguing with Edward when it comes to politics. He isn't fond of any government's blatant disregard for it's citizens; I figure it's his compassionate side coming out in him.

Bella and Jacob wander in after a while. Jake sits at my feet and picks up a section of the paper. Bella goes through the room, turning on the twinkling lights that are interwoven among the foilage. When she's done, she curls up against Edward's free side and reads the paper with him. The only other people to join us this morning are Carlisle and Esme, who sit at the other end of the sunroom. They are also sharing a newspaper. As we silently enjoy our time together, we can hear the others begin waking up and starting their day. The easy mood of the morning is broken when Jasper suddenly says loud enough for the humans to hear, "Someone's walking up the driveway." The house is suddenly filled with movement. Us humans are rushed upstairs to change clothes while the others take up innocuous, but nevertheless, defensive positions. When Alice calls out "Wolf!" Jake, Embry, and Quil go outside and down the drive to meet whoever it is.

Us witches wait in our spots on the side deck, hidden but able to strike at what may come. Edward and Emmett stand below us, safe in the shadow of the house. I start getting antsy and ask Edward what is going on because he has a stupid grin on his face. He shakes his head, "This is something you'll have to see for yourself. Trust me." Mischa holds my hand and Allen has Bella's as we stand there, growing more impatient which each minute that passes. Finally Embry and Quil materialize, walking ahead of Jacob and two others. Quil gives the thumbs up and the atmosphere immediately relaxes. Jacob stops with the woman and young man about 50 yards from the house and they seem to be arguing. "What's the trouble?" Bella asks Edward. "They are a little concerned about the tenants love," he explains,"She doesn't believe that we are coexisting as peacefully as Jake is describing." I sigh,"Come on Bells, we're up," and walk down the steps.

We stride across the green lawn, Mischa and Allen right behind us. We halt about 10 yards from them. "Honey, what's the problem?" I ask Jacob. He throws his arms up, "Leah thinks we're being held hostage sweetheart. She can't believe that we are living together and no one's been killed." I close the distance, hand raised in greeting. Bella mirrors me and speaks for us, "I'm Bella Swan, this is my twin sister Carlie. I can assure you both that you are in no danger here as long as your intentions are peaceful. I know you have a wolf with you and he is more than welcome as well. We show no prejudice here." Jake's eyes grow panicked as he looks at Leah and he shakes his head quickly. Oh shit! The boy isn't the wolf! "Seth isn't the wolf," Jake quickly explains, "Leah is. Love, meet Leah Clearwater and her brother, Seth." Leah looks upset, then her expression changes and freezes in one of awe for a split second. She's staring at Allen, who is looking between the new arrivals with a wary eye. Jake touches her arm and she jumps, then apologizes. She ignores our hands and reaches towards Allen instead, "I'm Leah, Leah Clearwater," she states. Allen looks confused but accepts her hand, "Allen Danford, pleased to meet you." Bella clears her throat, "Shall we adjourn to the house? An explanation is evidently in order."

Mischa and I wait for them to pass us before we begin the trek back to our home. Jacob and Allen are the buffer between Bella and those two. Leah keeps glancing at Allen as we walk. Jake and I exchange a look when he turns back to check on us. That's when the pieces fall into place. Leah is looking at Allen exactly like Jake looks at me. Like he's the center of her universe. Jacob sees the revelation reflected in my eyes and nods once, then turns back around, continuing up the stairs and into our home.

Our family has gathered in the spacious living room, couples close to one another. Jake takes my hand as soon as I enter the room. *_This could have ended much worse if Leah hadn't have imprinted like that_* he thinks to me. I look to Edward, who nods in response to Jacob's thoughts. I rest my hand on Bella's shoulder *_How are we going to do this_?* Her eyes flicker to Edward, then Carlisle. *C_arlisle is respected among the __Quileute__, even as a vampire. He is going to speak for the vampires. Jacob will have to take over for the wolves. I'll speak for us witches__._* Relaying thoughts to Jacob is instinct at this point so when he nods, accepting his duty, Edward in turn nods to Carlisle, who now steps forward and begins our twisted tale in his soft, articulated voice. When he is done, Jake squeezes my hand and begins his part of the tale. I can see the chieftain I had dreamt of and painted right before my eyes as he speaks, the timbers of his alpha status ringing clearly in his voice. I kiss his cheek when he is finished, then step forward with my twin, our hands clasped tightly. Bella's soft voice carries an undertone of command as she tells our story. Her normal blushes are absent and we gaze into their eyes as she speaks. As soon as our tale concludes, normal Bella returns as she drops her head and blushes. Our boys flank us, their arms snaring our waists, as the inevitable barrage of questions spill forth.

Over an hour later, the tension is broken by young Seth, who asks, "Doesn't anyone think it's really weird that one twin fell in love with a vampire and the other twin fell in love with a werewolf? I thought that kind of weird only happened in a Shakespearean play." We all are glad to laugh at that one. Bella is the one who answers. "It may be absurd, but look at the good that has come from it," she waves her hand across our family,"Because of something as pure as love, three species of creatures have learned to live peacefully and have begun to develop more meaningful relationships other than Target number one, Target number two, and so forth. We have become a true family, bound by love, trust, and respect. How many people in this world can say they have those things in their own flesh and blood mundane lives?" Leah shakes her head, she short hair falling in her eyes, "But how do you all make it look so effortless after such a short time? This kind of tolerance should take years or decades to perfect!" Shockingly, Edward leans forward,"What lengths would you go to for your imprint Leah? Would you swallow the hatred's bred into you and force your mind into a more civilized space to make your imprint happy even if it meant enduring impossible torture until you grew strong enough to understand?" His eyes flit to Allen, then back to her russet face, "Well?" She looks into his amber orbs for a long time before closing her eyes and nodding,"Yes, I would do anything to make him happy, even if it meant living with the enemy in peace." Jake smiles approvingly, "That's good, because that's exactly how things are going to go Leah, trust me. After a while you will realize that this life isn't all that bad, especially the parties!" Everyone laughs and he and Edward bump fists right in front of her. "Speaking of, I think it's time for that talk my love," I tell him. He gives me a kiss, "I'll be right back after I'm done, love you." "Love you more," I answer as he gets up and motions for Leah and Allen to follow him into the den. Edward sits down between Bella and I, wrapping his arms around us both. Embry and Quil nudge Emmett, who asks Seth, "So, Seth, you like video games?" Seth smiles and nods. "Come sit down with us then," Emmett replies, waving to an open spot in the floor near the plasma tv. Our family starts drifting off, preparing to resume our planned activities.

We can hear Jasper and Rosalie warming up the catapults when the trio emerges from the den. Jake is looking vaguely smug, Allen stunned, Leah absorbed by Allen. Jake comes over to us and Edward relinquishes his hold on me as Jake reaches a hand out in my direction. I kiss Edward's cheek and whisper, "Asshole," before leaping into Jake's arms. He catches me with ease as I wrap my arms and legs around him. "Damn," Edward drawls, "Carlie you pull this shit every time. You finally had me convinced me, you, and Bella was going to have a threesome and then you have to go and tackle Jacob just as I was going to suggest going to our room and exploring the possibilities. You are such a cock-tease." I stuck my tongue out at him as Jake holds me tighter. Edward laughs, "Promises, promises. Get the hell out of here wench before I decide to steal you and force you to make good on that threesome." Jake kicks Edward's foot, "Just remember Eddie, when you're done with them, I get them next." Edward growls at him playfully, then jumps to his feet while pulling Bella onto his back,"You'd have to catch us first furball." Bella smacks him upside the head,"Hey! No more of that, remember?" He gives her his crooked smile," Bella, he's practically my brother-in-law, if I can't skull-fuck him like my other brothers, what's the fun in keeping him around?" She shakes her head at him and plants a kiss on his neck.

"Hey, Emmett, ready to launch some humans out of catapult?" Mischa asks from the front door. "Hell yeah!" he jumps up and streaks out the door at vampire speed, shortly followed by Quil and Embry. Seth looks around the suddenly empty floor, then at us,"You have a catapult?" I nod,"Yeah, lets go." We go out into the yard and see that Leah's disabled car has been brought up. "Her transmission is shot," Jake informs me as we cross the yard, "We're going to have to take her and Seth home tonight when you drop me off at Dad's, is that alright with you?" I shrug, "Yeah, as long as she doesn't wolf out in my baby, we're good." He sets me down by the human-calibrated catapult with a kiss and runs out towards the lake to help pull in the chained poles. I light a cig and Mischa steals it with a grin, I light a second and Edward snatches it, so I back away from the cigarette snatchers and light another for myself. "these things aren't easy for me to come by guys," I complain, "Unlike Eddie, I don't have a million fake ID's that gives me the ability to walk into any store and buy them therefore I'm going to start charging you fuckers for every one of my smokes that you steal." Mischa gives me the number one, Edward just laughs and tells me that he'll get me a box of cartons tomorrow."You'd better or I'm kicking your pasty ass fuctard," I reply as he slides my sister off his back and kisses her. "Go sprinkle some happy dust on yourself you fucking Prozac fairy," he retorts and slinks off at a run towards the gang already hard at work.

There are no words to describe being vaulted through the air except absolute freedom fused with complete terror. I mull this over as I drive home that night. Bella is curled up in the passenger seat, half asleep. She was as worn out as I was, but I had agreed to drive Leah and Seth home along with Jacob and she hadn't wanted me to drive home alone. It was only a short 16 mile round trip jaunt between home and La Push and we had managed to talk everyone into realizing that not much could go wrong with vampires and werewolves watching out for us the whole time. 'Down With the Sickness' from Disturbed was blaring through the speakers and I was singing along badly as I sped across the blacktop. Today had been a good day, but the weekend as a whole had been absolutely fucking mind-blowing. Quite frankly, the best days of my life had occurred in less than 72 hours. Unfortunately it was back to banality tomorrow. My fairy-tale life interrupted by aggravating things like school and work. I snort. I am a fucking witch who is in love with a werewolf, my sister is in love with a vampire and we still have to go to fucking school! The only high point to school anymore was when I got to be with my Jacob. It was like my world was stuck on pause until I could see his beautiful face, hear his husky voice. No matter the problems we have had or will have, I loved him more than life itself.

I'm knocked out of my reverie when Bella shifts and whisper's Edward's name. It actually kind of sounded like a moan. I bite back my laughter and focus on getting us home in one piece. I'm not looking forward to sleeping alone or waking up alone either. Only 8 hours 36 minutes and 42 seconds until I was in Jake's driveway to pick him up for school. Not that I was counting or anything. I can do this. I can make it that long. I'd just gotten spoiled so quickly having him over all weekend. I was already used to getting my Jacob fix on demand rather than having to wait for it like I usually do.

I shake my head and mentally slap myself. This shit has got to stop. You're a grown woman, stop acting like you are twelve fucking years old! But that easy smile of his just-----

Three things happen at that moment. Number one, Bella's cell phone rings. Number two, I drop my cigarette because I'm startled. And number three, something slams into the car and I realize that we're flipping over.

I hear the screeching sounds of twisting metal, then hear a snap as that metal finally breaks. I smell the heavy air flowing in from somewhere. I try to push the fogginess from my mind and find my eyes. Someone moans beside me. Then I notice that I am upside down, hanging from something. I feel someone to my left. I manage to turn my head and open my eyes.

"Hello my pet," the vampire says, his orange eyes hungry.

**Part 20**

**Taken**

**(Edward's ****POV****)**

"Dammit Bella, answer the fucking phone!" I scream as I'm instructed to leave a voice mail. I have to remind myself not to crush the damn thing as I hand up and dial again. I had already called Jake's house, Carlie and Bella had dropped him off nearly 30 minutes ago. I'd been trying to reach Bella and Carlie for the past five. Fucking thing goes straight to voice mail again. I shove the phone in my pocket. "Alice, something's wrong," I snarl. "You know I'm not good at seeing them Edward, I'm doing my best," she whispers anxiously. *_Maybe we should go look for them_* Jasper thinks, eyes following my frantic pacing. "Fuck it. I'm going," I answer Jasper out loud and start out the door. My hand is on the knob when Alice falls to her knees *_Oh No! Edward, run! Save them_!* her minds screams and I'm assaulted with her vision. Carlie's car overturned, it's driver's side door ripped from the hinges. Blood on the roof of the car. My vision turns red and I'm running faster than I ever have before. I can't lose her. I must save them. I feel Jasper and Alice on my heels and push myself even faster, we're running out of time.

**Okay, REVIEW TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really, really, really, really need to know what you think about my story!!!!!! Please don't wait until I finish it because I'm not sure where it's going to end!!!!**

**Any questions, comments you don't want left in reviews, send me a PM and I will do my best to answer them!! Please don't ask about what happens next though!!!!**

**And a little plugging for a fellow writer!! Go read the story After Dawn by M ****Wilridge****, it's good! Anyone else want passed around, leave me a review for my story and a request, I'll do my best to accommodate!**


	20. Part 20 Taken

**I still don't own Twilight or any other copyrighted stuff....dammit.**

**Jem-24**

Been given 24 hours to tie up loose ends to make amends His eyes said it all I started to fall and the silence deafened Head spinning round no time to sit down just wanted to run and run and run Be careful they say don't wish life away, now I've one day

And I can't believe How I've been wasting my time

In 24 hours they'll be laying flowers on my life, it's over tonight I'm not messing no I need your blessing and your promise to live free please do it for me

Is there a heaven a hell and will I come back who can tell Now I can see what matters to me it's as clear as crystal The places I've been the people I've seen plans that I made start to fade The sun's setting gold thought I would grow old, it wasn't to be

And I can't believe How I've been wasting my time

In 18 hours they'll be laying flowers on my life, it's over tonight I'm not messing no I need your blessing and your promise to live free please do it for me

In 13 hours they'll be laying flowers on my life, it's over tonight I'm not messing no I need your blessing and your promise to live free Please do it for me

I'm not alone, I sense it, I sense it All that I said, I meant it, I meant it

And I can't believe How much I've wasted my time

In just 8 hours they'll be laying flowers on my life, it's over tonight I'm not messing no I need your blessing and your promise to live free please do it for me

In just 1 hour they'll be laying flowers on my life, it's over tonight I'm not messing no I need your blessing and your promise to live free please do it for me

**Part 20**

**Taken**

**(Edward's POV)**

"Dammit Bella, answer the fucking phone!" I scream as I'm instructed to leave a voice mail. I have to remind myself not to crush the damn thing as I hang up and dial again. I had already called Jake's house, Carlie and Bella had dropped him off nearly 30 minutes ago. I'd been trying to reach Bella and Carlie for the past five. Fucking thing goes straight to voice mail again. I shove the phone in my pocket. "Alice, somethings wrong," I snarl. "You know I'm not good at seeing them Edward, I'm doing my best," she whispers anxiously. *_Maybe we should go look for them_* Jasper thinks, eyes following my frantic pacing. "Fuck it. I'm going," I answer Jasper out loud and start out the door. My hand is on the knob when Alice falls to her knees *_Oh No! Edward, run! Save them__!_* her minds screams and I'm assaulted with her vision. Carlie's car overturned, it's driver's side door ripped from the hinges. Blood on the roof of the car. My vision turns red and I'm running faster than I ever have before. I can't lose her. I must save them. I feel Jasper and Alice on my heels and push myself even faster, we're running out of time.

I can hear Alice talking to Jacob on the phone while Jasper informs Carlisle. Less than a minute later, I catch the scent of my Bella. I break out of the woods and onto the road, the woods surrounding me nearly a blur as I sprint towards a large chunk of twisted metal lying on the side of the road. I listen for the familiar rhythm of their heartbeats but can't find them. Panic threatens to overtake my another smell hits me like a ton of bricks. "Vampire" I hiss. I swallow venom back and taste the air. The scent is fresh, no more than a few minutes ago they were here. I skid to a halt in front of the wreckage. '_Too late_!' my mind screams and a roar of fury bursts from my chest. I kneel and look inside the gaping hole on the side of the ruined Eclipse. The dueling scents of Bella and her twin momentarily overwhelm me, but I lock myself down. Small puddles of blood lie on the crushed roof. Both of the twins had been injured in the crash. I punch the ground, driving my fist deep into the asphalt.

*_Edward, everyone is on their way. Pull yourself together, you're no good to anyone like this_.* Jasper thinks. Alice lays her dainty hand on my arm *_Jacob and his pack are on the move, so is Sam and his pack. They are fanning out and moving this way_.* I nod, acknowledging them, then begin searching for the scent trail. I find it, but it disappears less than a half-mile back from the car. "They were put into a vehicle," I inform them, my voice calm, unlike the war raging inside of me.

The one fucking night I thought it would be safe to let her out of my sight alone for more than a few minutes and I'd lost her. My Bella taken from me. My knees buckle and I fall to the pavement, my hands catching me before my face slams into the ground. I'd promised her that I would never let anything happen to her or her sister and I'd just experienced a spectacular failure. I'd lost them both in an instant. What did I do that I could not protect her, them? I made a vow and now it lies in ruins. Fuck! I hear choking sounds from somewhere; I wish they would shut the fuck up.? I'm trying to think goddammit! How could things have gone so wrong so fast? Was there a shelf life on happiness? Or was this fate trying to remind me that monsters don't get happy endings? Regardless, they had done nothing wrong. She had done nothing wrong. '_Except fall in love with a monster_' my mind interjects.

*_Son, you must calm down. We will find them._* Carlisle's thoughts infiltrate my haze. I strain to listen around me and my chest tightens as I realize the person making those sounds is me. It takes all of my strength to push myself to my feet and look at Carlisle, who is standing before me, face wrought with concern. "I'm going to destroy whoever did this Carlisle, I fucking swear I will." I barely recognize the voice speaking. Lifeless. Robotic.

A cacophony of howls to the north captures my attention. I sprint in that direction, only stopping when a russet wolf bursts out of the greenery and barrels towards me at top speed. *_Carlie! Bella! Where are they?_* Jacob demands, the fury I feel mirrored in his thoughts. "They were taken. Another vampire. One we haven't encountered before," I answer. His mind becomes a storm of thoughts and emotions as his legs give out and his great form collapses. *_My Carlie. Little Bella_.* These four words surface over and over in his mind as the desolation consumes him. "On your feet Jacob," I command him,"Neither of us can help them if we don't pull our shit together and get to work on finding the bastard that took them." I reach under his massive body and lift him onto his feet. "The tire tracks were going north Jacob, please relay this new information to your pack and Sam so no ones time is wasted looking in the wrong direction." His dark eyes focus on my face *_I'm going to rip the sonofabitch that did this apart Edward. I swear it_.* "We'll do it together brother," I whisper and pat his muscled shoulder.

**(Bella's POV)**

My head hurts, my body hurts. My hand hurts. What the hell did Carlie do this time? I lift my hand to rub my eyes and notice my arm sliding over something like embroidered satin. My eyes shoot open and wheel around. I'm laying on a large canopy bed, deep blue velvet curtains drawn. A small wall sconce over the headboard is the source of the light. My breasts hurt badly. I inspect them and find that my nipples have each been pierced with a silver hoop and now a delicate chain links them together. My right hand is bandaged, hiding the wound on my palm that has begun to burn. There is a small bandaid in the crook of my elbow. I remove it and there is a needle mark there. I shudder and replace the band-aid.

Someone moves beside me. Carlie. There is a heavy silver filigree collar around her throat, a chain coming from it and snaking its way to one of the bedposts at the foot of the bed. My hands fly to my throat, touching worked metal. There doesn't seem to be a latch, just a ring holding the chain to it. I'm wearing a white shimmering dress of some kind. No sleeves, backless, but it too comes up into a low collar, holding the dress in place. I shift the blanket. Carlie has one in black on. It's long, but has a slit all the way up the side to her pale thigh. Her left hand is bandaged. I can guess what is under it. I nudge her *_Carlie wake up, I think we're in trouble._* She stirs and I nudge her again *_Nessie wake up_!* She bolts upright, drawing in a breath to scream and I clamp my hand over her mouth. *_Don't speak, I don't know who or what is out there. Got it_?* She nods slowly and I remove my hand, reaching down to take hers in mine. Carlie points to the collar around my neck and I point to hers. She lets out a low hiss and rubs her chest. Her piercings match mine. *I_t was a vampire, I seen him right after we crashed. He had orange eyes._* I look at her and notice that the onyx mesh covering her does nothing to hide her body. *_I can see right through your dress_* I inform her. She nods *_Yours too. Maybe we should try to freeze these chains and get the hell out of here._* I shake my head *W_e don't even know where 'here' is Nessie. Besides, I don't think we would get very far if we're being held captive by a vampire. The best we can hope for at the moment is for him to get close enough for us to burn him_.* She nods *_Well, we might as well see how far these chains go then_* and throws back the curtains. I see her bare arm as she moves and notice she has a band-aid also.

The room is lit by more wall sconces, giving the effect of candlelight. The wall are concrete, painted a soft gold. The hardwood floor is covered by beautiful antique looking rugs. As we climb out of the bed, our chains rattle slightly. I gather mine in my left hand to keep most of the weight off of my neck. Heavy end tables flank the bed and there are matching ornate vanities on either side of the room. A massive fireplace sits opposite the bed, a fire crackling in it. Doors sit on each side of the fireplace. Carlie and I walk across the room, our hands reaching out to each door. I hold up my hand, counting 3, 2, 1, we yank the doors open. Closets, both of them, filled with very feminine clothing. At the foot of the bed is a small table with two padded stools tucked under it. On the table are two covered dishes and crystal goblets filled with what appears to be fruit juice. There is also a pack of Carlie's brand of cigarettes, a box of matches, and a small ashtray on it.

Carlie rummages through the closet, looking for some less revealing clothing, but only finds more sheers and meshes of varying styles and colors. She gives up with a disgusted sigh and stalks over to me, chain tinkling as it swings from her right hand. We clasp our bandaged hands together and sink to the floor in front of the fireplace. *_We can't just sit here and do nothing!_* Carlie shouts the thought at me. *I_ know, but we have to bide our time. Edward and Jacob are coming. We just have to hold our own until they get here. That means not doing anything impulsive or stupid for as along as we can help it._* I retort. She sighs and lays her forehead to mine. *_We're underground, I can smell it_* she muses. She was right. Under the soft smell of the wood stacked near the fireplace was the typical smell of basement. Mold and mildew. Wet rot. It was all present. *_The door leading out of here is obviously hidden, we need to start looking for it in a way no one will see if they have us under surveillance_* Carlie offers. I sigh and kiss her nose*_Yeah, but I don't think we will be waiting much longer for the bastard that kidnapped us._* She shivers against me * _I know._* We wrap our arms around each other and sit like that, gently rocking and humming lullabies our mother used to sing to us as children. As long as we had one another, we would make it out of here alive.

An immeasurable amount of time passes and we jump at the sound of stone grinding on stone. We gaze around to see a spot on the right wall separating from the whole. I feel Carlie draw her will *_Don't. They might feel it_.* She expresses her displeasure with a string of curses that would have made a sailor blush, but diffuses her will. A figure slips through the opening. A man. Dark haired, pale skinned. Nondescript clothing. A vampire. He quietly treads across the floor but stops a few feet from us. I can see his eyes now. Orange. A smile grows on his features. "Good Morning my pets, my name is James," he tells us in a cultured, silken voice that is a trait of most vampires, "I have been waiting quite some time for the opportunity to acquire the both of you. You have no idea how long I've waited for you."

Those words send chills down my spine. I hug Carlie to me a little tighter, but she levels her gaze at our captor. "Who in the fuck do you think you are, locking people up like they're fucking animals? We are going to get loose eventually, then we are going to fuck your day up asshole," her words drip with the venom and fury we both feel. He laughs at her, "Now that is the spirit I love so much Carlie. It will take some time to retrain you on when and where to utilize it, but we have time. For now, this must do," he steps forward and backhands her, sending her flying across the room. She bounces off of the brick wall and lands on the floor with a thud. I think she is unconscious until I hear her laughter. She sits up and wipes the blood from her mouth. "Let's see what you've got motherfucker, "she snarls and gets to her feet.

James winks at me, "Excuse me a moment dear Bella, your sister needs a lesson in manners." He begins walking towards her and I stand up,"I hope she rips your shriveled little balls off." He chuckles, "I guess your lesson will be next." When he gets hallway between us, we draw our will and take aim. Carlie spits blood at him and I hear his breathing hitch. "Ah, you shouldn't have provoked me Carlie," he purrs, "I am beginning to doubt your survival if you continue this." She puts her hands up in a boxing stance, "Let's dance bitch." He dives at her and we strike, calling the fire out of the fireplace and engulfing him in it. He begins screaming and I feel something jab my chest. I glance down. There is a dart with neon green feathers sticking out of my breast. I gather my will the best I can and concentrate on James. "Burst!" I scream, releasing the pent up energy before the blackness takes me.

**(Carlie's POV)**

We call the fire and aim it at James. He lights up like a fucking Christmas tree. He throws something but it misses me. I look at it. A tranquilizer dart. I hear Bella scream "Burst!" and her will comes so forcefully that I'm knocked to my knees. James' right side explodes, shattering his entire right arm and severing his leg. I focus on burning the limbs, Jake always said that you had to burn the pieces of a vampire or they could reattach anything that came off. He flops on the ground, smothering the flames on his body. My head is too fuzzy from the blow to the head and Bella's explosive tactic that is difficult to draw my will properly. James snarls much closer than I expected and I feel the next hit to my face.

I awaken to pins and needles in my arms and a throbbing headache. I try to move my arms, but I can't, they're tied over my head. I look around. It's the same room, save all the furnishings have been removed. I'm laying on a grass mat and I'm naked except for the fucking collar. Bella is sitting across the room from me, her hands chained to the wall also. "You look like shit," she says when she sees me move. "I feel like shit Bells, I picked a fight with a vampire," I reply with a forced chuckle. "I wonder what our boys would do if they saw us chained up like this," Bella ponders. "Probably fuck our brains out before the could help themselves," I answer as I shift my back flush against the wall. "Are you scared Bella?" She bites her bottom lip and thinks for a moment,"Yeah, I'm terrified, but Edward and Jacob will come for us. I have to believe that we will be okay, that's the only we I can keep functioning Nessie. Hope." I sigh and cross my ankles,"Bell's, I'm not so sure we're going to make it out alive and I would rather it be that way than Jacob get hurt trying to save me or you." She nods,"I feel that way too, honestly, but I have to keep this twisted hope that they will save us." I tug at the manacles,"So what do we do?" Bella squares her shoulders and looks at me, an evil grin on her face, "We will do what we must to stay alive and if that doesn't work, we take the bastard down with us. Sound good to you?" I laugh, "Hell yeah!"

Hours go by. We talk and cry and rant. We stay away from truly intimate details of our significant others, fearing that the information could be used against them. We even sleep off and on. My bladder is about to burst when the invisible door opens again. This time two people enter, both female, and aim pistols at us. The one closest to me is young, maybe fifteen, with dark hair and bright red eyes. Young vampire. The other has long hair that reminds me of the bonfire, it's golden tones shining in the dim light. She is the one who talks, "Either of you try anything and the other one will be the one to pay," her voice reminds me of Britney Spears, making my teeth clench together and a chill run through me. I can't stand Britney Spears. The dark haired girl brings over something that, in the light, ends up being a chamber pot. She unhooks the chain of my shackles from the spike in the wall and pulls me to my feet. "Go," she commands, not looking at me. I see the redhead doing the same thing to Bella. "Aw, don't I get a seat warmer or anything?" I taunt. The woman by Bella raises her hand and smacks Bella across the face hard, then looks at me, " I warned you not to try anything." Bella laughs at her,"Please, that was a love-tap, my boyfriend smacks my ass harder than that when he's fucking me." My mouth drops. Bella has never talked like that. The woman nods to the girl beside me and I get punched in the stomach so hard it leaves me gasping for air. "Anything," the redhead states. The girl picks me up by my hair and deposits me back on the pot. I let my bladder go simply because I can't hold it anymore.

When we're finished, they immediately retreat out of the room, but come back with a bowl and a cup each. All of it made from styrofoam. We keep quiet this time. They leave our hands unhooked but still bound together so we can eat. After setting the bowls and cups down, they exit, shutting the stone door behind them. We agree to drink the water, but decide to throw the food at each other, acting like complete mental cases. It didn't smell very appetizing to begin with. It was basically canned sardines boiled in water until it made a wretched smelling broth. Once that bit of fun is over, reality sets in once more. We don't know if it is day or night, there are no windows or clocks to tell by. Sometime after the fish broth has evaporated on the floor, the door opens again. The two women return, chamber pots in hand. They also have something new this time. Boxes of baby wipes. After our human minute, our chains are draped over a higher spike and our bodies are wiped off with the wet cloths at vampire speed. Our hair is washed with cold water out of 5 gallon buckets then brushed out quickly with no thought to the searing pain inflicted on our scalps. They notice the food strewn across the floor. The dark haired girl leaves for a minute but reenters with something long and thin in each of her hands. She gives one to the other before standing in front of me. She draws back and I see what it is. A riding crop. The first strike lands on my lower back and I bite back a cry of pain. Then the blows begin falling so fast that I don't have time to react to one before another lands somewhere else. We are beaten everywhere but our faces and chained nipples. The blows stop when she breaks the skin on my left calf. She immediately withdraws from the room. Bella's blood must have been spilled shortly after because the woman suddenly leaves. We hang from our chains, sobbing and gasping like fish.

And so our new life begins. We talk, we cry, we sleep. We are bathed and beaten. Fed and watered. Time ceases to exist and the hope of seeing my Jacob again slowly begins to fade once James begins reappearing, somehow in possession of a new arm and leg, but the outside now reflecting the ugly monster that was once only hidden within. He seems to take great pleasure in our daily beatings, often coming in and watching the women work us over. We still fight and make remarks. We should know better by now, but we don't give in........

........Until the day a shirt is shown to both of us. A brown uniform shirt, badge and name tag still attached. Covered in fresh blood. Charlie's blood. That's the day our will breaks. At first there is a flare and we manage to call the electricity from the sconces and destroy the girl and burn a few chunks out of the redhead before being beaten into unconsciousness.

When I woke up I was in the dark. I stay in the dark until it is time for the beatings. Quickly I come to crave the beatings just so I could have the light to see her. I don't fight anymore. I don't even speak coherently unless I am in the light. When I sleep, I dream of a life that is bright and warm, I'm so cold all the time, in the dark. He was warm. I'm not supposed to think or talk about _Him_. His face haunts me. Jacob. His name is Jacob. He was supposed to come and save me.

Then the pain comes, bringing glorious light with it.

"Who am I?" He asks between the light and glorious pain.

"Master."

Somewhere a girl is screaming.

**(Edward's POV)**

A map fucking full of red X's. Red means empty. Empty means no Bella, no Carlie. I rip the map to shreds and let it fall to the ground. I run my fingers through my hair. The small gesture reminds me of my angel. She loved running her hands through my hair. I walk away from the Jeep and light a cigarette. I happen to see myself in the windshield of Jasper's Land Rover. Black eyes, dirty, tattered clothes, wild hair. I laugh. I now resemble the crazed maniac that I am. I scan across the desert, out of habit more than anything now. We had criss-crossed this place a thousand times in the past 6 weeks and found nothing every time.

Alice shuffles up next to me. She looks little better than I anymore. Once so fond of fashion, she now grabs the first thing her hands set upon and wears it. She rarely speaks, unless it is to tell us a location to check. This is an off day as she also spends most of her time curled into a tight ball on the passenger seat of Jasper's truck. She's only out now because Jasper made her hunt with him. She sits down on the sand and begins tracing little patterns while humming to herself. She would never be this calm in the daylight. She's become terrified of daylight these past weeks. Carlisle believes that it could be a connection to Bella and Carlie. I don't know what to believe anymore.

Jacob comes trotting up, panting heavily. *_Emmett believes he has something. It's weak, but adamant that it's Bella's scent. A rag of some kind_.* "I'll be right there. Take a nap little brother. Stay close to Alice," I answer. I go to the truck and get Bella's iPod. I listen to it constantly, her favorite songs seared into my consciousness. They keep me calm. I'm in the process of putting in the second earbud when Alice says a single word.

"Master."

Then the screaming begins.

**(Bella's POV)**

I used to prefer the light. No longer. Now I embrace the dark. Dark is easy. Dark is simple. Dark means an end to the pain. The end of the pleasure. The end of me. The end of everything but_ Him_. Dark means I can dream of _Him_.

The girl is screaming somewhere. Black eyes, spiky hair. She's writhing in the sand under a dark sky. Two men hold her, one blond haired, one with wild bronze locks. He called me his angel, once upon a time. Master forbids me to even speak his name. He didn't say anything about the girl. "Alice," I whisper into the darkness, "His angel needs him before it's too late. Hurry. We're dying."

Master soon comes and all is forgotten but the pain that comes with the terrible light. Today we're told that we get a treat. Washtubs filled with steaming soapy water for us to bathe in. Make us clean for Master. Please Master and the pain won't come. I look across the room to her. I wonder if she breaks the rules for her _Him_. Does she dream of her _Him_?

I scrub until Master approves. I rinse until the soap is gone. Master gives us something pretty to wear. I caress the fabric. White. I can see my fingers through the delicate mesh. I put it on as Master instructs. She puts hers on too. He unlocks our shackles and now we stand side by side, waiting for Master's command. Master smiles, telling us that we look as beautiful as our blood tastes. He apologizes for the needle marks on our arms and legs, but says that it is our fault. We tasted mouthwatering and he couldn't resist but didn't want to lose his pets.

He tells us to embrace. We do. It's not comfortable, having another human so close, but it's what Master wants. Master always gets what Master wants. He tells us to kiss. A peck. He frowns and wants us to kiss as lovers do. The lips are soft, too soft. Master tells us to deepen the kiss. We do. We feel a current begin running over our skin. We pull each other closer. The current gets stronger, blazing on our flesh. We break apart, panting with foreheads touching. We speak simultaneously so that it becomes one word, "Edwardjacob." The fury boils over. The room begins to shake as our power awakens. We don't break contact. The brick walls protest and groan, then begin to break. Then the earth above us heaves, trembles, then explodes outward to the sky.

"Edwardjacob!" we shriek. We know they are close, we can feel them.

James comes at us from over the debris. We catch him in mid-jump and fling him out into the desert. Arms wrapped around each others waist, we pad up the fallen earth and out under the night sky. James hits us from behind, snarling his threats of our death. We smile at him and call the lightning from the clouds above us. Light streaks across the sky and spears James, ruining his replacement arm. He screeches as the wind picks up around us. He is afraid. "Jacobedward!" we scream again while sauntering towards James. We call more lightning. It takes off his other arm. We call the water from the clouds, turning it into liquid ice as it flows downward. We throw it at James. His left leg shatters and breaks off at the hip and he falls to the ground. He's crying out for mercy now. We call the sand, pulling it forward and pressing it into diamond hardness. We smash his right leg. We call fire and burn the parts that have broken off of him. We will his body into the air and begin to use the wind to cut strips of him away. His desperate keening is tiresome. We remove his tongue.

"Bellacarlie!" their voices cry out in unison, "No!"

The rain begins to fall. The storm has begun.

We turn to them.

"You were supposed to save us," we accuse, the wind and rain caressing our skin. The current spikes.

They run towards us. Ivory and russet moving in sync, " You can't kill him!" they yell.

Our heads tilt to the side. "Why?"

He touches me.

**"Because you are not a monster Isabella."**

**How's that for a mind fuck? Tell me what you think! Leave a review!**

**Thank you thank you to those who continue to support my story by leaving reviews. Everyone else who reads but doesn't review...what the fuck is your problem?!**


	21. Part 21 Fallout

**I don't own Twilight or anything else copyrighted and whatnot. Just some poor bitch who won't give up on a dream of being a writer. Sorry. Maybe next lifetime.**

**A/N: This chapter is going to be ki****nd**** of choppy because that is how Bella a****nd**** Carlie feel right now. Their emotions a****nd**** mindsets bounce arou****nd****, trying to rewire their brains after being held hostage a****nd**** tortured by James. I'm giving this warning for those who decide that I'm just completely bat shit a****nd**** want to run away. Some of what the girls have going for them is their naturally strong minds a****nd**** a very supportive family. ****Thses**** will help them move on much faster. Besides, who wants 20 chapters dealing with their agony a****nd**** recuperation?**

**A/N #2 there are probably going to be a few distincitve similarities to a very popular story called Wide Awake by Angst Goddess 003 in here and I apologize if I piss her off. There is a mantra similar to the one her Bella says during WA that I actually did in high school after I was in a fist fight with an ex boyfriend at school and won in front of about 20 people. I planned on using it in my own story as well.**

**On another note, if that didn't make any sense, join the club. Hell, I have inside jokes with myself that even I don't understa****nd****. Maybe that explains my manic bipolar ****oxymoronic**** tendencies. Or it could be the voices. Yes it is. No it isn't. You can't tell me what to do. Yes I can! Shut UP !!!! Ugh...I hate it when they argue, it gives me a headache.**

**Anyhoo****, Enjoy! A****nd**** remember, giving reviews are funnier than Emmett doing stupid human tricks naked.**

**P.S. Does anyone know how to hook up a Red Bull I.V.?**

**Stone Sour-Bother**

Wish I was too dead to cry My self-affliction fades Stones to throw at my creator Masochists to which I cater You don't need to bother;  
I don't need to be I'll keep slipping farther But once I hold on,  
I won't let go 'til it bleeds

Wish I was too dead to care If indeed I cared at all Never had a voice to protest So you fed me shit to digest I wish I had a reason;  
my flaws are open season For this, I gave up trying One good turn deserves my dying

You don't need to bother;  
I don't need to be I'll keep slipping farther But once I hold on,  
I won't let go 'til it bleeds

Wish I'd died instead of lived A zombie hides my face Shell forgotten with its memories Diaries left with cryptic entries

And you don't need to bother;  
I don't need to be I'll keep slipping farther But once I hold on,  
I won't let go 'til it bleeds

You don't need to bother;  
I don't need to be I'll keep slipping farther But once I hold on:

**Part 21**

**Fallout**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"I can't believe I actually wanted to do this, it was fucking stupid," I mumble to Bella as we sit in the backseat of Edward's Lancer, glaring at Forks High. Jacob squeezes my hand gently from the safety of the front passenger seat,"You don't have to do this, either of you, if you don't want to. The school is more than willing to let you finish your junior year being home schooled. No one will be disappointed, I promise." We both shake our heads, "No. I need to do this," we answer in sync, again. It's been a bad habit since our quote unquote "traumatic experience". Edward looks back and forth between us, then gives his crooked smile, "We will all be here for you both the whole way. You will be escorted from class to class by one of us. If either of you start feeling like it's too much, just say the word and someone will take you home." We look at each other and nod. Edward and Jacob exit the car first and then open our doors for us. The rest of the family is positioned in a semi-circle in front of the car, love and concern evident on their faces. I pull my hood up and take a deep breath. 'K_eep your hood up a__nd__ your head down a__nd__ prete__nd__ you're invisible._' I repeat to myself a few times, trying to relax. Finally I grasp Jake's outstretched hand with both of my own and step forward into the madness.

It's a hundred times worse than I'd imagined it would be.

Literally every single person stops to catch a glimpse of the now famous Swan twins as we walk by, huddled against our boys. Everyone wants to see the girls who had been kidnapped that night back in April and held hostage by a maniac for 30 days before escaping and being picked up by some off duty Marines who were out having a dirt bike riding get together thing. 4 days in the hospital, another 3 being questioned by police, Charlie camping out at our house until yesterday, and 137 restraining orders against paparazzi later, here we are, walking into school like none of it happened. I hear Rosalie growl and look up in time to see her lobbing someones cell phone into a mud puddle. She gives me a little smile and a wink before resuming the walk of death. Jasper walks behind Bella and me, one of his hands on each of our shoulders and oozing calming vibes. Somewhere a students car backfires, causing us to jump. Jake leans down to my ear, "You'll be alright honey, it was just a car." "I know, I'm sorry," I whisper and lean further into him. "Don't fucking apologize Nessie,"Edward chides, "You have nothing to apologize for so cut that shit out right now." "I'm-" I begin but the look on his face quiets me.

The walk to the building feels like it has taken most of the day. It's so exhausting when every sudden movement makes you jump and every yell makes tears well up in your eyes and draw your will up to kill. This was a bad idea, but it's too late to back out now. Jake and Rosalie walk me to my first class, not leaving until I am safely in my new seat at the back of the class. Em, Rose, and Jas only have this week of school left, being seniors; that's some of the reason Bella and I had decided to come back now. Three extra people for one week has helped immensely so far. As class starts, I can see people twitching to turn around and stare. Others simply give in to temptation and leer at me until the teacher calls their attention back to the front of the class. I do my best to disappear inside of my hoodie and not murder anyone.

Class is nearly over when the teacher gets called out of the room. I keep my head down, working on a new drawing when I see someone standing beside my desk. "Hey, Swan, not so big and bad now are we?" Lauren asks. "Go fuck your father/brother Lauren," I mutter, attempting to tune her out. Her hands slam down on my desk, "Dammit Swan, you've got a dirty mouth!" she laughs. I have a death grip on the sides of my desk when she hits it again. "You don't want to do this Lauren," I rasp between clenched teeth, forcing my will to obey. She flips her silver-blond hair and sneers at me,"Oh, why is that Swan? Afraid that your made up story about being abducted is going to be found to be you just ran off with your Quileute freak of a boyfriend so you could fu-" I shut her up by slamming my fist into her fucking mouth, then I plow my shoulder into her stomach and drive her into the floor. She starts swinging wildly and screaming "Crazy Swan is trying to kill me!" in between my blows. A student grabs my arm and I elbow him in the nose. Another grabs at me and I beat her face off of the desk. Lauren's screams are turning into sobs when strong, familiar arms wrap around me and lift me off of the girl. "It's okay honey," Jake says in a soothing voice, "You're okay love." He swings me up so that I am nestled against his chest. I wrap my arms around his neck as he carries me out of the classroom.

He takes us out to the empty quad and sits on one of the picnic tables. He rubs my back as I cry myself out. Once my breathing has almost returned to normal, I get out a cig and light it, not caring who see's me. Jake gives me a look, but says nothing about it, choosing to ask how I feel. I shrug,"My hands hurt." He chuckles, "You just pounded the shit out of three people in under five minutes Carlie, if your hands are the only things hurting, I'm glad. I was beginning to worry about things like broken arms and stitches." He presses his lips against my cheek and sighs when I cringe,"Sorry sweetheart." I pat his chest,"Not your fault. Mine." He scowls, "Don't do this again Carlie. It's not your fault!" I twinge at his sharp tone and he snaps his mouth shut. "Carlie, what's wrong?" Emmett's voice carries across the space. He walks the last few feet with exaggerated slowness before sitting down by Jake."What happened little sister?" he asks, his voice full of worry, "Whose arms do I have to rip off?" I shift and look up at him, "I got into a fight Em. Everyone's going to be so pissed, I ruined everything again." He pats my knee, "No one is going to be mad at you Nessie. It was only a matter of time before you knocked the crap out of someone today anyways. Did you win?" I nod and Jacob tells him about the three opponents. He laughs and winks,"Good job! I'm so proud of you!" Just then the bell rings and I jump. I would have ended up on the wet ground if Jake and Emmett hadn't caught me. "Jumpy much Carlie?" Emmett laughs,"Okay, I've got to get to class. You good?" he runs a finger down my cheek as I nod,"Yeah. I've got Jake Emmett, go chase Rose!" He tugs on my hood and jogs off with a wave. Jake captures my hand and kisses it, "Do you want to go to your next class? Alice, Allen, and Mischa will be there if you do. As a matter of fact, they're waiting for you right over there." He points over by the doors.

I could see the Goth twins walking our direction with little black spikes bouncing up and down between them. Alice stops a few feet behind Allen and Mischa, giving me the much needed buffer zone. She knows all about my dark haired tormentor and has said that she understands that I get nervous when she stands too close. We start walking to class when Jake's head snaps up and watches something intently,"What's wrong Jake?" I ask. He leans down and picks me up, "Bella" he says then starts sprinting through the crowd of students. I catch sight of Edward's bronze mop bobbing through the crowd, heading towards the parking lot. "Parking lot," I direct Jake. He nods and shifts direction.

When we catch up to them, Bella is sitting in the front seat of the Lancer and Edward is kneeling on the blacktop in front of her. "What happened?" Jacob and Edward ask in once voice. "Fight." Bella and I answer, then laugh. "With who?" Edward asks. "Lauren. You Bells?" Bella rubs her skinned knuckles,"Jessica." I'm stunned, Jessica's tactic is usually the backstabbing technique."What?" She nods,"She was trying to pump me for information and when I wouldn't give any, she made a few comments under her breath about my family that I didn't appreciate. I kind of lost my temper and knocked her off of the lockers." Jake chuckles,"That's an understatement Bells." She smiles weakly at him as Edward draws her into his arms. "Are you two going back to class today?" he asks as he rocks her gently. "We have to," Bella seems to decide then,"We can't keep letting them get to us or we will spend the rest of our lives regretting what could have been. I, for one, am sick and tired of always being victimized, metaphorically and literally. This stops now." She gets to her feet and squares her frail-looking shoulders,"Let's go Carlie, I don't want to give the bastards the satisfaction of thinking they chased us off." She grabs my hand and pulls me with her back towards the school, head held high. That day, our little family changed. We begin to shed our inhibitions and embrace ourselves for who we are. Freaks. Broken, battered, and unwilling to hide our scars any longer.

In a normal world, an entire school would not be terrified of two 105 lb girls marching through the halls, but when those same girls had already pounded the shit out of four people and now have eight very overprotective bodyguards, things change fast. People part like the Red Sea when we walk the halls now, giving us side-long glances that hold mixtures of awe, fear, and something akin to reverence. It was like a scene out of a movie. Our little group, sauntering through the halls of this backwater school, filled with freaks, beauty queens, and outcasts, daring the waves of banality and ignorance to challenge us. Where at one time we all sought the safety of the shadows, invisibility our greatest weapon, we chose that day to stop hiding. Our true natures will always be hidden, but if we were going to be the center of attention, we were going to guide which direction the rumors went.

I was glad that my family had made this decision. Their strength gave me strength. I know it sounds like a bad teenage romance coming of age story, but it is the truth. I know none of us could go back to the way we were before James had altered our lives so completely. I'm relieved that we gave up trying to and embraced what our lives had become. We knew it wasn't over. James had minions galore and they would come for us. Until that time, we would do our damnedest to be happy. At least that's what I told myself.

Unfortunately living in the real world was proving to be a lot more complicated than just giving up and letting a poetic suicide solve all my problems.

June 2nd. The day of Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett's graduation party. Bella and I had let Alice talk us into having it at our house. This wasn't just going to be an ordinary graduation party. Alice was trying to make up for us missing prom and reintroducing us to the world of having fun outside of playing X-box with Emmett and driving everyone up the wall with our increasingly absurd changes of behavior and my panic attacks that I have every time I try to drive a car.

Alice is currently throwing a fit with me because last night I had shaved the sides of my head with the exception of long sideburn-like tendrils, then dyed streaks of fuchsia and neon purple into it before teasing the top of my hair into something that resembled a horses mane and a wild Mohawk. I never sleep anymore and had developed the tendency to do very odd things once the sun went down. Bella and I were becoming very different people than the girls we used to be. Light and dark were amplified and twisted. No more light twin and dark twin. Only shades of grey, sometimes pale as smoke, other times dark as the charcoal eyeliner we both wore now.

I didn't see why she was so upset, I liked my hair. It was different. I tell her this. "But why couldn't you have waited until after the party?" Alice wails at me," I had the perfect outfit picked out for you and everything! Now I have to throw together something else that won't clash with your streaks since you won't let me get rid of them." Her bottom lip juts out again, hoping that I will relent and let her play the Guinea Pig Carlie Game. I just smirk at her and light a cig. "Come on Alice, you should be a little nicer to me since I was the one who figured out how to grow your hair down to your waist," I remind her as she does the angry midget dance around my chair, her newly lengthened raven waves swirling around her. I think on the changes I had made to the others as she rants.

Carlisle, at Esme's meek suggestion, now sported a close-cropped full beard that matured his twenty-something features into the 30 something he was trying to pass for. He now looked more distinguished rather than just hot. Carlisle had taken to catching Esme in his arms then rubbing her face against his cheeks until she giggled like a teenager. It was so cute to watch. Emmett's dark hair nearly touched his shoulders, Rosalie's command, and he also had sideburns that ran to his jaw. He had asked for a mustache and goatee as well. Rosalie had balked at it until I gave in to his wishes so she could see it and judge for herself. She loved it of course. Jasper's hair was the one I envied. Alice had begged me to grow it as long as Jas was comfortable with. Comfortable ended up being halfway down his back. It hung in soft gold ringlets that rivaled Rosalie's in their beauty. Jasper has also opted for a mustache and goatee, which drove Alice over the deep end when she seen him for the first time after I'd done it. They were oddly absent from our activities all that weekend. Edward's hair was a bit shorter; he wanted to start small with his changes to see if he was comfortable with them. He had a little scruff on his face, enough to look as if he was approaching 18 for once. Esme surprised me. She wanted one of those shorter, sporty hairdo's that I've seen pop stars like Rhianna have. She looked gorgeous once I was able to figure out what she wanted. Rosalie had also asked for shorter hair, having spent so many years maintaining waist length hair. Her honey blond curls now hung just below her shoulders, reminding me of a 1930's movie star. Bella had gotten in on the process, cutting her chestnut mane and donating it to 'Locks of Love'. She gracefully carried a shoulder-length layered cut that made her look slightly elfin now. Edward loved it, of course, even when Emmett had called him Legolas over it.

The inherent problems that came with all of this was that Alice now expected me to aid in her hostile makeovers when the need arose, which brings me back to the here and now. "Are you even listening to me Carlie Elizabeth?" Alice gripes, hands on her hips. I sit forward, elbows on knees, " I keep trying to Alice, but I keep thinking of different hairstyles for you,"I deftly lie. Her face lights up into a glowing smile,"Really?" I nod,"Yes. I'm going to start experimenting with colors on the hair I cut off of Rose and see what I can come up with. I had been thinking that you would look absolutely adorable with little pink streaks through that black hair of yours," I shrug, "But if you want me to forget about it and focus on the party outfits, I can do that too Tinkerbell." Her faces screws up into her 'deep thought' look. I wait patiently, serious expression stamped on my features. She finally sighs, "No, you have enough to think about with that. You've been working so hard lately to help us change so we can finally stay in one place longer than 6 or 7 years that I am too grateful to bother you with the outfits. I'll go steal Bella and Leah to help me. You might want to go find Mischa to help you brainstorm, I know she's been talking about colors for us too." She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, "Go Nessie, be free!" I can barely hold a straight face as I walk downstairs to find my werewolf. She doesn't know that I had already figured out how to do colors and had been saving it. Damn, I'm good.

I find my Jacob in the garage, working on his recent acquisition with Quil, Embry, and Allen. It's a 1971 Dodge Challenger that he is rebuilding. The Rabbit became a lost cause after Embry accidentally furploded in it. Jake and Quil had startled him with an air-horn. He refused to tell me where he had gotten the money to buy the Dodge with and I didn't push him because I already knew. Carlisle and Esme had opened accounts for everyone while they searched for us so that everyone had funds available to them to follow any lead they found. After we had been rescued, they refused to take back the money, stating it was the least they could do to show their gratitude.

I try for the hundredth time to walk in, but I can't. The concrete walls terrify me. Jake sees me observing from the garage door and hops up from the tire he was sitting on while he worked. There is grease on his cheek, and a huge grin on his dark face. He leans down and gives me a peck,"How are you doing honey? Alice finally give up on the hair?" I roll my eyes,"I managed to distract her with promises of pink streaks as soon as I could figure out how to do it." A quick brush of his lips on mine,"That's my girl. Devious and smart. I knew there was a reason that I loved you." His espresso eyes draw me in, the depth of his devotion burning in them. My fingers trace the contours of his lips,"I love you too Jacob." He carefully slides an arm around my waist, holding me lightly enough so I didn't feel trapped and panic on him, "You want to take a walk honey? You're a little wild eyed." He'd started taking me out for walks when we had come home because being stuck in the house led to problems like curling up in the farthest corner of the living room and watching everyone from a distance while contemplating different ways to die. Bella had the same problem when we first came home and Edward had been the one to discover that the walks helped. I squeeze him to me briefly,"No, I'm alright, just preoccupied. Hoping I don't make an ass out of myself today by having a panic attack or something." His fingers brush my cheek,"I'll be here no matter what Carlie. If you have an attack, so be it. You and Bells have literally lived a hell on earth and somehow managed to survive it. If they can't take the time and try to understand that no one could've survived it unscathed, we'll just load them into the catapult and launch their dumb asses into the forest to find their own way home."

He kisses my forehead, "Come eat lunch with me. We've managed to get 10 lbs back on you and I sure as hell don't want you to lose that because I'm being inattentive." "I'm not sure," I complain. He give me a look, "You know what Carlisle said love. You and Bella are considered anorexic right now and that is not safe. You have to get your weight up honey, especially since its so difficult for you to put weight on to begin with." I cave then because I don't want to fight. "Whatever you want dear." He knows that Bella and I had both been diagnosed with hyperactive thyriods and that meant it was very hard to put weight on because our bodies burned through everything at an accelerated rate and that meant twice as much work to gain back the weight we had lost during our captivity. He pulls me after him, towards the house. I try to light a cigarette, but he takes it and hands me a piece of gum, "You just put one out five minutes ago. You need to slow down and stop chain smoking, since you won't quit." I grumble but take the gum.

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

"Hey angel, I have your coffee," Edward plants a kiss in my hair,"Is there a reason you are laying on the table? I'm not saying that I mind the view, I'm just curious." I open my eyes to see his smirking face upside down over mine, "I just wanted to soak in some sun and the table looked like a good spot to do it." I kiss his nose. "Ah, I see," he helps me sit up and slides me into a chair, "You made the decision to sunbathe on the damn patio table while I was fetching your coffee. Lucky ass table." I wrap my hands around the warm mug and take a sip,"It's good, what flavor is it?" He lights a cigarette and crosses his ankles on the tabletop, "Hazelnut. You and Nessie were bitching that you were tired of French Vanilla yesterday so I went and got new shit last night while you were reading." I lift my legs and lay them over his own,"Thank you love." He rubs my calf, "Never a problem sweetheart. I'd do anything for you."

Jake's voices drifts out from the kitchen,"Hungry Bella? We're making roast beef sandwiches." "Sure Jake, go light on the barbecue sauce this time, unlike Carlie, my boyfriend doesn't like licking food off of me." I'm not really hungry but with Jake and Edward present, there was no room to wiggle out of it. After Carlisle had given Carlie and I physicals when we came home, he had alerted the family of our malnourished state and newly discovered medical condition. Our family was constantly trying to feed us now. Edward knew that I had skipped breakfast this morning and wouldn't let me get out of eating this time. This was the fallout. The price paid to be back in the loving fold of my family. I remember being so happy when we discovered that Charlie wasn't dead after all that I'd fainted. The bloody shirt we had been shown had been soaked in Charlie's blood, but not how we had imagined it. He had slipped and fell during one of the many searches conducted for us and his face had said hello to a very large rock, breaking his nose in the process. The shirt had been ruined so it had been thrown in the trash. One of James' goons had found it and thought it could be useful. They were right. It had been.

"What are you thinking angel?" Edward's velvet voice interrupts my musing. I shake the memories away, "Nothing, just wondering if Charlie's going to brave a bunch of teenagers partying today to come and check on me and Carlie." He shrugs,"I know the Chief is brave, but I don't know if he's that brave. The only thing that scares him more than teenagers are toddlers. I swear you could put that man in front of a pack of hungry vampires and he would be perfectly fine, but put him in the same room as a baby and he'd go to pieces in under a minute, especially if it needed a diaper change." I chuckle,"You are such a tool sometimes Edward."

Carlie and Jake come out carrying plates and drinks, handing one of each to me. Jake nudges me as he settles,"Ready for this afternoon?" I give a noncommital shrug as I take a bite of my sandwich. Truthfully, I was dreading this afternoon. Two packs of werewolves, the entire Cullen clan, four witches, and probably the enitre junior and senior class of Forks High were coming. They all thought that our house was the Cullen family estate and we weren't telling anyone different. On a good note, the whole party was going to take place outside. Alice had managed to look around the normal obstacles and get the weather forecast. Cloudy, but not raining. Perfect cover. I look across the yard and a thought occurs to me, "I'm worried about idiots messing with the catapults and getting themselves killed." Edward laughs,"Those are being left out specifically to eject the ones that get too damn annoying at the party love." Carlie laughs, "Does that mean Bella and I will be the first ones launched then? Because we are bound to annoy everyone and anyone we encounter later on." Jake gives her a look, "No honey, this is your house, you can't be tossed out for being annoying in your own home." She sighs,"Oh well, maybe Bells and I will just go steal the four-wheelers and chase around party goers with paintball guns." I wink at her,"That sounds like a great idea to me. We'll start with Emmett. Work our way through the vamps. Then we can start on Paul and hunt down the wolves." Jake scowls at her,"And when does the witch hunt start?" "Oh, probably after we draft Mischa and Allen into helping us take out the rest of the humans."

Edward, who had been listening with a thoughtful expression suddenly grins michievously, "Okay, after the dumbass party is over, we're going to get everyone together and do this. It sounds like too much fucking fun to pass up." "What are the witches going to do once the sun goes down?" Carlie asks. Edward smirks,"You have your happy little lights, don't you?" She nods. "Use them. Easy," he finishes. I chuck and eyebrow,"Oh, as if anyone needed more help on being able to find us?" "Love, we will all be able to smell and hear you anyway, so why take any chances stumbling around in the dark?" He musses my hair, "Eat before it gets cold."

The four of us sit and chat while the construction on the front lawn finishes. Alice had a platform put together and then turned it into a dance floor. There was already a stage where dj's and bands would take turns playing. Different booth had been erected and now held different games in them like the ones you find at traveling carnivals. It fit because that was essentially the theme of the party. Alice had been inspired by Rosalie's haircut and said that it had reminded her of Britney Spears, and with Rose's personality, the song Circus had been Alice's light bulb. I knew my baby sister wasn't pleased, she hated the likes of Britney Spears and those like her. She whined that their music was nothing but part of the corporate money making machine, vomiting out jailbait dressed like porn stars to keep their profits high. Rose was very amused when Carlie had compared her to a porn star the night she had her tirade over the party theme.

"So, are you actually going to do it love, or are you going to stand me up tonight?" Edward inquires. I scratch my head, mussing my new hairdo, "Um..do what?" He sighs and flicks his cigarette ash, "Last night you said you would think about getting on stage with Jas, Em, Rose, and me to play, remember?" I bite my lip. Oh crap. I'd forgotten about that. Carlie and I had been hounded by our family all day about getting onstage with them and playing at least one song. We had been taking guitar lessons regularly before our incident and Edward had insisted on resuming them as soon as we were sent home from the hospital. He had said that it would be good therapy for us and it had been. Carlie could go hours playing, forgetting the rest of the world in the process. I didn't just settle for that. I had gotten Edward to start teaching me how to compose music. My sister was teaching herself how to do it. She was also teaching herself the piano, violin, and the Japanese shamisen. She had more time on her hands than I did because, for some weird reason, she didn't really sleep anymore and hadn't since we had come home. She wouldn't talk about it with me, stating that it would bother me too much. "I might, but just one though," I finally answer. He takes my hand and kisses it, "All I ask is that you try angel. You might find that it is very empowering." "I'm not worried about being empowered Edward,"I huff, "I'm worried about turning into a raving lunatic in front of a few hundred eyewitnesses."

I hear Carlie light a cigarette,"Play with your back to them," she offers, "How do you think I planned on playing up there?" Wow. She must be really pushing herself to do this. "Carlie, you don't have to do it, no matter what anyone is asking," I inform her. Her chocolate eyes lose focus for a moment, then harden,"Yes, I do. I can't keep hiding behind everyone because the boogeyman might get me Bella. I can't sleep because of that as it is. I need to do a major fucking overhaul on my psyche. I can't drive, I can't sleep, I can't be close to anyone in any normal way without worrying about a panic attack. I don't know how you deal with it, but for me, it's time to stand up and mace the motherfucking boogeyman in the face and then knee him in the balls. If getting up on that stage and playing a guitar for five fucking minutes will help me, then I'm going to do it. I'm not like you Bella. I'm not as strong, I never have been." "Carlie, it's not about-," I being to protest but she cuts me off, "You were always the perfect one. Nothing ever got to you like it did me. You have a knack for getting through the bad shit whereas I fight every goddamn day to not dig out a straight razor and finish a job I started when Mom and Dad died. There is not a person in this family that fucking realizes that I am alive because they had the strength to take the chance of exposing themselves for us. If they could risk everything for two stupid little humans, how could I just give up and die even when it was all I wanted to do? I stay because it would kill Jacob. And I stay because I don't want to disappoint you again. After everything that has happened, I never want you to tell me that something else is my fault. Once was enough." She gets up and stomps away from the table. Jake mouths a "Sorry" and chases after her.

I stand up and go to follow, but Edward grabs my hand, "Give her a few minutes or it will just make things worse." I glare at him," How do you know?" He sits me down and gathers my other hand in his,"Angel, I've seen enough fights between you and Carlie to know that when one walks away, don't chase them or it just gets worse and usually ends in either a fist fight or a mage battle in the front yard, and taking into consideration that this place is going to be full of people in a very short time, I wouldn't suggest either fight. Take the third road and leave it the hell alone for a while. You both need to calm down before an innocent bystander ends up barbecued by a lightning bolt or something." I let him pull me down into his lap, "Jake's with her, she'll be fine," he assures me, "Just let things settle."

I pick at my sandwich, but can't bring myself to eat. Her words had cut me to the bone. I had believed that we had been able to work passed the accusation I'd made when our parents died. I also hadn't realized that my younger twin thought of suicide so often. She hadn't shown me her mind at all since the night we had made our escape. She only did that with Jacob now. I knew that she had been having a difficult time, but she had been talking with Carlisle on the phone often and had seemed to be making so much progress. I now knew why she'd ceased confiding in me. She didn't confide to anyone now, save Jake. She would smile and laugh and play nice, but it was impossible to know her mind, what she really thought. Edward couldn't get around her shield and didn't like attempting to do so in the first place. Piece by piece my twin was carving everything familiar out of her life but her imprint. The Carlie I once knew was being stripped away, revealing a new kind of animal. I wonder if she even notices how much I miss just being there for her.

She thought I was the stronger one. What a joke. We were just finding different ways to heal, that's all. I had the nightmares that came with sleep, but I used them to fuel my determination. I bent and twisted all of my fears in another directions. Music, arts, even shopping with Alice. A big one for me was that I was learning how to fight. Anyone that was willing to teach me, I eagerly absorbed their instruction. Edward encouraged it, but wouldn't help. He claimed that it was impossible to look at me as a target. It was too painful for him. 30 days of having to consider the possibility that I was dead had altered him so completely. He no longer felt any desire for my blood either. The thought of even drinking my blood sickened him now. He was also more careful with me than before. We have made some progress on that mainly because he had startled me once and I'd launched him through the wall of our room, over the railing of the stairs, and crashing into the big fish tank in the living room. After that, he was careful still, but was willing to acknowledge that I could almost defend myself. It was the almost part that spurned me on to learn how to fight.

Edward tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear,"What are you thinking about love? You're so quiet it's driving me insane." I gaze into his dark eyes," Same old, same old. You need to hunt Edward, it's been too long and there will be too many tempting throats here in a few hours." He gives me my favorite smile,"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I don't want to leave you alone," his last words husky. "Not good enough. I'm as safe as I can get. I'll be fine dear. Promise. I'll go and throw myself at Carlie and Jake's mercy if that will make you feel better. Or I could go and lock myself up in the piano room for a few hours. Don't make me sic Esme and Alice on you." He chuckles,"And what if that doesn't work angel?" "I'll go tell Carlie you are starving yourself over me again and then watch her spazz out on you like she did last time." He reaches up and caresses my cheek with the back of his cool hand, "I just worry so much that I'm going to lose you again. I had promised that I would never let anything happen to you and that promise was broken. I'm never going to let that happen again. Without you, my life has no meaning Bella. I have already experienced that once and I don't think I could survive it a second time." I put my hand over his and press it to my face,"I understand more than you will ever know, but what would you do if something did happen and you were too starved to do any good Edward?" He lays his head back and closes his eyes, lost in thought. I wait patiently, not wanting to flip his asshole switch by forcing an answer out of him. Finally he pinches the bridge of his nose with his free hand and sighs,"Alright, I'll go, but" he opens his eyes and releasing the full force of them on me," You stay here at this house unless at least two other people are going with you. I fucking mean it Bella. If you don't promise me that you will listen, then I'll wait for another time to go." "I promise that I will stay home unless two or more people go with me Edward. Is that good enough?" His laugh is humorless,"No. I would probably have better luck tranquilizing you and duct-taping you to Carlisle for the duration, but I don't have much of a choice at this point. Jasper and Emmett want to go hunting before the party as well." I cradle his pale face in both hands then gently press my lips against his,"I'll be fine Edward. I swear," I whisper against his lips. He pulls me against his hard chest and buries his head in my hair,"I love you so much Bella. I can't stand being away from you." I breathe in his scent,"I love you too Edward."

An idea hits me. I pull back enough to look in his eyes,"Maybe you should turn me, then you wouldn't have to leave me behind anymore. I would be strong enough to keep you then." His face turns into a mask of horror,"No!" He exclaims, "I would never do that to you Bella! I could never condemn you like that. Ever. Don't ever fucking think that just because I am like this that I would be selfish enough to drag you down with me." I'm stunned. He thinks it would be selfish! If he only knew. "Edward think about it," I argue," You wouldn't have to worry about someone being out to get me ever again. I would be able to protect myself. Not to mention, no more broken bones from clumsiness or having to worry about breaking me every time we touch. I could be yours and no one elses. Ever." He picks me up and sets me back in my chair as he stands, "No Bella. We're not going to have this discussion. I won't turn you into a monster. It's my willing duty to save you from them." He brushes back my hair and leans down to kiss me. I turn my head. "What?" he asks. I look in his eyes, "I'm already a monster Edward, and there is nothing anyone can do to change me back. There is no saving me now." I bury my head in my arms,"I'll see you when you get home." "Bella," he whispers, touching my hair. I shake my head, "Just go Edward. The sooner you feed the sooner you can come home and defend the most dangerous monster of your existence." "I love you," he whispers in my ear, "And I'm in love with an angel, not a monster. And you are mine forever." His lips press against my neck once, then he's gone. I quiver at his last words.

By the time they return, the yard is full of people and Alice has gotten a dj in place. Carlie had appeared long enough to apologize to me for her rant and then went to hide in her room while Jacob spent time with the wolves. I had went up to speak with her, but when I had heard her room singing and playing her guitar, I decided to leave her be. Mischa walked around the party with me, making sarcastic and often hilarious comments about random party-goers. I knew Edward had returned and was close because the current began humming across my skin, growing closer. "Welcome home Edward,"I murmur, too low for even Mischa to hear. His arms wrap around me,"Hello angel. Feel better?" I did, now that he was here with me, I could breathe. All of the self-loathing that had consumed me these past hours fell away. "I will after you kiss me." "You are the most dangerous creature I have ever met Bella Swan," he growls as he turns me around and claims my lips.

For the first time since the day Edward had pulled me back from the abyss, I feel like he is claiming me as his own.

He pulls away long enough to look into my eyes. Searching.

"Do you really dream of becoming a monster?" he asks.

"I dream only of being with you."

"You would give all of this up?"

"Yes, because I would gain so much more."

"What would that be?"

"I could belong to you always."

"Isn't it enough that I will love you your entire life?"

"One lifetime isn't enough. I want, no, need to be yours forever."

"How can I condemn you like that?"

"It's not condemnation my love, it's setting me free."

"Marry me first Isabella."

"Only if it's for an eternity."

"Would I have asked if I had intended anything less?"

"We can be monsters together? For eternity?"

"Forever."

"When do we leave?"

"Now."

He pulls me through the crowd to the house. He carries me at vampire speed to our room. "Pack enough just for a few days," he instructs, "the rest we can buy as we need." There's an urgency in his voice that I've never heard before. I start packing, but keep my eyes on him. He's grinning like a fiend as he packs his own things into a duffel bag. I throw a few things into my backpack. Clothes, toothbrush, toiletries. Nothing that will weigh us down. He looks at me sideways, his eyes are smoldering. I feel that flash-burn race across my skin once more and then it settles into a slow burn. I couldn't deny him when he took charge like this. I was putty in his ivory hands. I walk over to the nightstand to get my hairbrush when he grabs me from behind, pulling me into him, "I'm going to make you mine forever, in every possible way my love." A shiver runs through my body, "What's gotten into you?" He shrugs,"I'm tired of wondering how much time I have left before you come to your senses and run away screaming, so I've decided to change tactics. Ready?" Butterflies have filled my stomach, but I nod and answer his smile with one of my own. He holds out his hand, "Will you come with me?" A request. Giving me a chance to say no. Like that would ever happen. I take his hand, "What are we waiting for?" He lifts me into his arms and runs to his Mercedes at vampire speed. Bags get tossed in the back as I climb in. I can't believe we're doing this!

In no time, we're flying down the highway.

Oh shit! Carlie!

"Carlie," I whisper. Edward laughs and pulls me to his side. "Jake and Carlie are about a mile behind us in your Celica. Did you really think that I wouldn't have got our family in on this? They created the diversion for us. Everyone is going to meet us after you and I decide the when and where." I laugh, still on a weird high,"I don't care where or when as long as you don't bail on me." He kisses my hand,"Never." His phone buzzes. He checks the ID before answering, "Alice." Their 45 second conversation is so fast that I can't understand a single word of it. I see his smile fade a little before his eyes flicker to me, then it's right back in place. I notice that it doesn't reach his eyes this time. "What's wrong Edward?" He takes my hand and kisses it, "A complication angel."

Panic threatens to consume me but I fight it back. "What is the complication?" My voice is so quiet I can barely hear it.

His hand slips from mine and grips the steering wheel. His features harden, his previous joy wiped away by Alice's call. He looks very much the terrifying vampire right now. I glare at him until he sighs in defeat.

"Victoria."

I'm confused at the unfamiliar name. "Who?"

Fear darkens his features for a moment before he can regain control of himself. "You knew her when...you were abducted. The redhead. She was James' mate. She's looking for revenge."

"Oh," is all I manage before the darkness consumes me.

**Bet you didn't see that coming ;-)**

**Thank ****you's**** to those wonderful people who keep leaving me reviews!!!!! I *heart* you!**

**Send me reviews, I actually do want to know what you think whether you loved it or hated it.**


	22. Part 22 Good Intentions usually blow up

**I don't own Twilight or any other copyrighted stuff..I feel like a broken record...**

**I hope that I still have people's attention after pulling so much shit. I like to keep things mixed up, I admit it.**

**Marilyn Manson-Disposable Teens**

and I'm a black rainbow and I'm an ape of god I got a face that's made for doing violence upon I'm a teen distortion survived abortion a rebel from the waist down

I wanna thank you mom I wanna thank you dad for bringing this fucking world to a bitter end I never really hated a one true god but the god of the people I hated

you said you wanted evolution the ape was a great big hit you say you want a revolution, man and I say that you're full of shit

we're disposable teens we're disposable teens we're disposable teens we're disposable

we're disposable teens we're disposable teens we're disposable teens we're disposable

you said you wanted evolution the ape was a great big hit you say you want a revolution, man and I say that you're full of shit

The more that you fear us the bigger we get the more that you fear us the bigger we get and don't be surprised, don't be surprised don't be surprised when we destroy all of it

**Part 22**

**Good Intentions usually blow up in your face.**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

Jake hadn't judged me after my meltdown with my sister. He'd just laid beside me and held me tight in the hours that followed. "I love you," he murmurs again and again, occasionally kissing my forehead or stroking my cheek. "What have I done Jake? How could I have said that to her?" I ponder as I finally sit up and wipe the wetness from my face. He hands me another tissue,"Nessie, people lose their tempers and say things that they regret. No one is perfect. And you've been hiding so much from Bella that it was bound to come out sometime." I sigh and try to focus my bleary eyes, "I always end up saying the wrong things and just making shit worse. I mean, I know it's wrong to resent my own fucking twin for being able to handle this better then me, and I try so hard not to. Sometimes it's just too fucking difficult to pretend that everything is sunshine and daisies." He rubs my back softly,"Nobody is asking that you pretend that it's all happy Nessie. We're more concerned with you girls getting better, no more, no less. None of us expect either of you to act like nothing happened, but we want you to know that nothing like that will ever happen again." After a few minutes of silent reflection, I get to my feet,"I'm going to at least make an attempt to apologize to her, it's the least I can do after...it's the right thing to do" I finish. He nods,"You want me to come with you?" "No, I have to do this one on my own honey, Love you." I lean over for a kiss. "Love you more," he mumbles against my lips.

I scrub my face and fix my eyeliner then begin the hunt for my elder twin. In the hours Jake and I spent hiding in my room, the party had begun and I see her, wandering with Mischa through the sea of bodies. I ready myself for the onslaught of stares and whispers, then plunge into the crowd after her. She looks like she's in a haze, not noticing me until I touch her arm,"Can I talk to you for a second?" She nods slowly and I pull her back through the crowd. As we walk, I see Jacob meeting up with his pack. He gives me a big smile and a wink as we tread passed them.

"Where are we going Carlie?" she asks, but doesn't try to pull her arm from my grip. I don't answer until we are standing in the shadows beside the garage. I let her arm go and shove my hands into my pockets, wondering how to begin. After a few minutes of this, Bella slides down the wall and sits on the ground, not pushing me. I pace a little, then light a cigarette and sit down beside her. "Um," I begin, "Bella, you know that sometimes I say stupid shit when I'm upset right? Things I don't really mean but they pop out of my mouth before my brain can filter them?" I look at her and she nods,"Well, the shit that I said earlier, my brain filter wasn't working. I fucked up and I'm sorry. It's not fair to be pissed at you because you deal with shit better than me and it's not your fault that I have a weaker mind. And it's sure as hell not your fault that I've been suicidal. It's my fault. I was a dumbass when I went off on you like that and it wasn't fair to you. Forgive me?"

She plays with a lock of hair and stares at the ground,"Nessie, of course I forgive you. You are having so many problems and you bottle it all up....Things might have been different, but you don't talk to me anymore. You cling to Jake like you're drowning but you won't let me near you. I don't know what to do or say that will help you except to let you know that I am here for you no matter what. I love you and you are a part of me that no one can replace, not even Edward. I'm not mad at you, I'm pissed because I don't know how to help you. " She sighs and drops her head back against the wall.

"Bella, you can't help because there isn't much out there that can fix what is wrong with us," I argue,"I mourn for the lives we could have had, should have had, before James stole it all from us. Everyday I wonder what my life would have been if we had never tortured James or killed those people. I try to dream of things that could have existed if we hadn't become these monsters." I wave my hand across the yard, "These amazing people are protecting the wrong things. They should be protecting the world from us, not the other way around. I guess it's a good thing we can still die like regular humans. I can't imagine poor Jacob having to deal with me forever. My only regret is that he will lose the will to live when I die and probably follow soon after. He would have loved to see what the world was like in a few hundred years, but I don't think I'll live that long. At least Edward has already been that monster Bells, he will be able to help you better. Hell, maybe he should vampirize you so that you could go and kill monsters like us and not feel guilt about it. You'd be indestructible then. Fuckers like James wouldn't stand a chance. I wouldn't blame you if you did. Human memories fade after you're turned, right?" She nods. I laugh," Who am I kidding? You're already better off than I am. You've healed so much faster. I wish I could do that too because Jake is so pure and good and I'm going to ruin him by the end of this, I can feel it."

She takes my hand,"Monsters or not, we have to live our lives the best way we can Carlie. We owe our family that much. As for Edward...I love him with everything that I am and I know I will never be good enough. I'll always be the stupid human girlfriend until he gets bored and finds someone better. Someone not toxic to his existence." She falls into deep thought and we sit together, replaying things in our minds. I finally push myself to my feet, then help her up as well. She pulls me into a hug, "I don't know about you, but if I could have Edward forever, I'd be more than willing to live with the monster inside of me," she whispers into my hair before slipping her hands down to mine and squeezing them once and sauntering back to the party.

"She meant it, didn't she?" Edward's voice inquires from the darkness. I light another menthol and nod,"Every fucking word Eddie. She literally loves you more than life itself. I thought you went hunting?" He doesn't answer. He must have followed her. I shrug and watch the guests. Fucking mundania. If they had a single clue to how shallow their lives really were, they wouldn't take so much for granted. Then again, if they knew that the world as they thought it to be was a complete fucking lie, the suicide rate would wipe out half the damn planet.

"I need your help Carlie," Edward proclaims, emerging from the shadows. "What Edward? Need help changing the batteries in your vibrator again?" I tease. He reaches out and steals my cigarette," Har har, fuck you little sister. No, I actually do need your help and it's something that no one else can do." I roll my eyes and light another,"What? Need me to slit my wrist so Jasper will be distracted enough for Emmett to kidnap Alice or something?" He gives me a look, then shakes his head,"No, Jasper just ate a wandering freshman so he's good for a while," he runs his long fingers through his wind-blown mop, trying to find the words. " IneedhelpbecauseIwantBellatomarrymeandIdon'tknowhowtofuckingaskher,"he says it so fast that his words are a blur. "What the fuck did you just say Edward? You sounded like a goddamn swarm of bees." He takes a deep breath and looks me in the face,"I. Need. Help. Because. I. Want. Bella. To. Marry. Me. And. I. Don't. Know. How. To. Fucking. Ask. Her." he exaggerates every word. He drops his head now, uncertain of my reaction. Oh shit. "Oh shit Edward," I mutter, "When did you decide this?" He leans against the garage,"I've been thinking about it practically since the night I kissed her the first time. I was planning on asking her on you guys birthday, but her words..." He focuses on me again,"I can't live without her Carlie and it hurts so damn much that she thinks that I'm going to get bored with her and leave her. I could never leave her. She's a part of me, the best part. An angel that saved me from my own personal hell. Everything that I am belongs to her."

I gape at him for a minute as his words sink in. "Wow," I finally respond. Edward fucking Cullen is a softy after all. "Hell Edward, I don't think she'll care how you ask her as long as you mean it. You could march up to her right now, throw her over your shoulder and tell her that you're dragging her to Vegas to get married tonight and she'd just giggle and let you do it. She'd do anything for you and I mean anything." A smile overtakes his chiseled features. "What?" I ask.

"Vegas." he answers.

I groan. What had I just done? He grabs my arms,"Help me," he begs, "I'll do anything, just help me. I want to do this as soon as fucking possible, before I come to my senses." I gaze at the manic smile on his face,"Okay, but stop holding me so tight, you're hurting me Edward." He lets go and jumps back,"I'm so sorry Carlie, I-" I cut him off "No blood no foul Edward," I smile at using his own words against him, "I need to find Jake and you need to talk to Emmett, we're going to need a diversion for the party goers over yonder," I nod my head in the direction of the party,"We both know that the family will never let you two get away with this by yourselves so they can't know what's going on until everyone's on the road. Jake and I can take care of that. We'll stay right behind you guys that way Alice can't see what you're up to. Her vision has been getting better around us witches and the wolves, so we're going to have to be careful either way."

He looks confused,"Why do we need Emmett then?" I laugh,"Because as soon as you and Bella drive off, I want him to set off every fucking firework that we have. He won't ask questions because it'll be too much fun. Me and Jake will be a minute or two behind you, if we take Bella's car it will confuse everyone. You and Bella never take separate cars unless if you can help it." "What about our family Nessie?" his eyes anxious,"Unless you planned on calling them from the road." He devises. I nod,"Exactly. The moment your tires hit the freeway, Jake and I will start calling everyone to have them follow us, but we'll wait for your," I poke his chest, "signal to tell them where we're going." He nods,"Okay, and we still have those fake I.D's in the safe so we'll have no trouble passing off as 18 when we arrive to get the license and shit." I let loose a sigh of relief,"That's good because that was gong to be the tricky part of the plan. Bella and I are emancipated but it would've made things harder than necessary. Now go find Emmett and meet Jake and me in my room in 5 minutes. Make sure to avoid Jasper or he's going to wonder what you're so excited about." He nods eagerly and speeds off. I put my cigarette out and go to find Jake when he appears in front of me,"Thank you little sister," he says fervently, then gives me a quick peck on the cheek and a hug before disappearing once more.

I find Jake lounging around one of the bonfires with the rest of the wolves, Allen and Mischa with them. he hasn't seen me yet. I put on my best poker face and kneel down behind him,"We need to talk wolf boy. Now." I murmur as I hug him. He gives me a confounded stare, but nods and gets up, "Sorry kids, but when the love of my life beckons, I must follow," he announces and lifts me into his arms. We carries me away amidst whoops and hollers, their inflections painfully obvious. I give them the number one as we ascend the hill to the house.

Once we are sure to not be overheard, he kisses me and asks,"What's up honey? You look like a mad scientist." I laugh, my poker face sucked but there was nothing that could be done about it now. "We're going to help Ed and Bells run off and get married," I state. He almost drops me, but manages to keep me from bashing my head off of the floor, "What did you just say? Have you been drinking?" he hisses in an angry whisper, face inches from mine. "We are going to help Bella and Edward elope Jacob." I repeat. "Please don't tell me that you're doing this because you feel bad about the argument you and Bells got into, "He answers with an angry edge in his tone. "Put me down and I'll explain," I demand. He complies and stands before me, arms crossed and face like a thunderstorm. I light a smoke, he wrenches it from my fingers and tosses it out the window,"Spill it now Carlie," he growls. I put my hand on his cheek and replay the conversation between Bella and I then mine and Edward's. "Wow, they really would do anything of each other, wouldn't they?" he finally says. I nod as he draws me to him, "I can't just stand by now Jake, I have to help them." He presses his cheek against my head,"I know sweetheart. There is something I have to say though." "What?" I mutter against his chest. "You're not dragging me down and you're not going to ruin me," he squeezes me, "And I understand what Edward said about Bella being the best part of him. I understand every word he said about her because that's essentially how I feel about you. He's just had a few thousand years to perfect how he says things." I snicker,"He's only a century old Jake. You're fifteen." He sighs,"I know how old I am Carlie. It doesn't stop how I feel about you. You know, I'd marry you if you would ever let me, I love you that much." My stomach flops. I can't find and answer so I just press myself closer to my werewolf, "I love you too Jake," I whisper. He stiffens, "Carlie I didn-"

"I wondered where you two were," Edward chuckles as he appears in the window, "I thought I was going to have to start searching dark corners to find where you guys were making out, "he looks at me, "Is he in?" I nod, "Of course he is. Emmett?" He grins,"Absofuckinglutely. It was barely out of my mouth and he was grinning like an idiot. What's the next step O Wise soon-to-be-sister-in-law?" I chew on my bottom lip as I think. Both boys start looking anxious when I raise a finger," Give me a minute guys, I've only got this little human brain to work with. It takes us a little longer than you supernatural freaks." Edward lights two cigarettes and hands one to me, ignoring Jacob's glare,"Take your time. I want to get this right,"he says as I take it. I walk over to my guitar and start strumming randomly, trying to get my thoughts in order.

After about five minutes of debating, I finally blow out a gust of air,"Alright, Jake and I need to pack. When you find Bells, propose right then. Don't be fancy, be honest. She'll like that more. You are then going to take Bella upstairs and get your things packed. Basics only. Everything else can be bought as needed. Take the Mercedes, it's the special event car, remember? If she says yes, put your bags in the backseat. If she says no but is willing to get the fuck out of Dodge for a while, put your shit in the trunk and we'll know the plan has been aborted. We know it won't be, but just in case. We'll wait for you two to hit the main road before we tell Emmett to start lighting the fireworks. Then we will jump in the Celica and catch up. Got it?" They nod solemnly. "Good, now let's get this show in the road before I change my mind." Edward hugs us both before dashing off to find my unsuspecting twin.

I play for a few more minutes, singing Jake's favorite song, before setting the guitar back on its stand,"Let's pack for a weekend in Vegas hun. I was thinking about getting a few tattoos while we were there, what do you think?" He laughs and opens the closet to get our bags,"If you're going to get a tattoo, you're getting my mark on you first," he states. I smile, "Sounds good. Does that mean I get to put my mark on you in return?" He nods, a triumphant smile lighting his face, "That was the plan love."

We get our things packed and wait down by the garage after loading our luggage. We watch Edward carry Bella into the house, then run to Emmett. "Edward said to light the fireworks Em!" I call to him. He gives us the thumbs up and strides over to the boxes of explosives. Jake throws me onto his back and we make our way back through the crowd, keeping our eyes on the garage doors as fireworks begin going off. A few minutes later, the farthest door opens on the garage and we see the happy couple. Edward tosses their bags into the backseat of the Mercedes before they get in. "That's our cue," I utter to Jake as the car pull out and speeds down the drive. We race to the Celica and slide in. Jake throws the car in reverse and jams down on the gas. He swings the car around, sliding it in the directiion of the disappearing vehicle. Jake rolls down the window and waits 33 seconds before launching the car foward. The tires screech as we hit the main road and we're racing at 115mph in under 30 seconds. I pull out my cell and call Carlisle while Jake calls Jasper and Alice.

The phone rings a few times,"Hello Carlie, how are you?" Carlisle's soothing voice answers. "I need you and Esme to get the family together and follow Jake and I in your vehicles," I rattle off, "We need you to trust us on this. I promise I will tell you more very soon. Nothing is wrong, per say, but time is of the essence." A beat of silence before he answers,"Okay dear, but you will give us more information very soon." "I swear on my life Carisle," I reply and hang up.

Jake is arguing with Jasper, "I don't care how you and Alice do it, you two must get Charlie into that car with you and on the road in 10 minutes Jasper! Alice can do it, Charlie is goo in her evil pixie hands. Now hurry!" He closes the phone and looks at me,"Done. Who's next?" "Um, I'll get Mischa and Allen. They'll bring your pack. You call Sam and see if he's up for it. If he's not, oh well, at least they were invited." He nods and starts dialing. I hit the speed dial and listen to the rings. "What the fuck do you want?" Mischa growls, "I'm a little busy." I laugh, "Getting some huh? How big is Quil or Embry's dick?" She snorts, "None of your damn business. You have 15 seconds and I'm hanging up on your ass." "You need to get your ass in gear. Grab Allen, Leah, Quil, and Embry. You guys are coming to Vegas with us. Tonight." Mischa runs off a string of curses, "You and Jake are eloping, aren't you?" she snaps. "Something like that, "I answer, "The keys are in Edward's Lancer. Take it. Leah and Allen can take the Vanquish if Allen doesn't want to take his Supra. You now have" I look at the clock," 7 minutes and 25 seconds to catch up. " I hang up without waiting for an answer.

A flurry of insane phone calls later, we are barely a mile behind the McLaren. I've tossed in a cd and we're both bouncing our heads to the music, congratulating ourselves on our little wedding coup. Jake leans over and kisses me,"Let's have a little race, what do you say?" I laugh and nod,"I'll send a text to everyone." I pull out my phone and type it in quickly. I just set it down when it rings. ID says Jasper. "Whatchya need cowboy?" I ask. "Alice seen something Carlie. The redhead that followed James. Victoria. She's really pissed off and looking for you and Bella. I think we need to know what's going on." My stomach churns, "Pull over Jake," I groan. He does and I have the door open before it stops, violently getting sick. I fall out onto my hands and knees as the memories invade my mind. Jake's warm hands are on my back, my phone at his ear,"It's going to be okay Carlie. Jasper, tell everyone to keep going, we'll catch up in a sec okay?" he hangs up the phone and tosses it onto the seat. "Honey, nothing it going to happen to you , I promise," he urgently whispers, "The entire Cullen clan is right with us and so are the packs. That bitch has no chance of getting anywhere near you or your sister." He brushes my hair back and captures it in a hair tie.

Once my stomach is convinced it is thoroughly empty, I attempt to right myself. Jake helps me to my feet and sits me on the hood of the car, "Stupid question time honey, "he says, "How do you feel?" I groan, "Like I just found out a homicidal maniac is hunting me Jake, how in the hell am I supposed to feel?" I snap angrily. He rubs my back as I lean against him,"I'm sorry Nessie, I had to ask," he says. A silver Supra pulls off the road, Leah jumping out of the car as it comes to a halt, "How is she?" she asks as she reaches us. "She's scared shitless Leah," Jake responds quietly. "Carlie, you know we won't let anything happen to you or Bella,"Leah whispers as she pats my shoulder. I just nod and bury my head in Jake's shirt. Leah mutters something to Jake then runs back to the Supra. Jake waits for them to pull out then picks me up and sets me in the car, "We've got to go Carlie. Alice saw a newborn sniffing around the house. We're going to continue to Vegas then decide what to do next."

I remain silent until we are racing down the highway again. "What did you and Edward do to James?" I blurt out finally. Jake sighs, "I'm not sure that I want to tell you that love." I angrily rub my face and light a cigarette. "Don't start shit with me," I snarl when he opens his mouth to protest, "My sister and I are being hunted by a raving lunatic Jacob, smoking isn't going to do shit at this point. Now fucking tell me what you did, I think I have a right to know." He moves the car into a slower lane, "We took him out in the middle of the desert then dug through about a half mile of sand and rock and buried him after taking out his eyes and ripping off his ears and stabbing his eardrums out. We also made sure to castrate him before leaving him there to rot for eternity. There, now you know. Feel better?" I stare out the window, "Not even remotely."

He watches me in silence and I don't bother to tell him to keep his eyes on the road; wolf reflexes are nearly as good as a vampires. "We did it because he deserved a fate worse than death Carlie," Jake defends after a while, "Death would have been too easy for that bastard." I slowly turn to look at him," Yeah, and all I wanted was to help my sister get married and I think I've learned my fucking lesson about helping people." He looks at me quizzically so I explain, " Good intentions usually blow up in your face Jake. I think it's time I gave up trying to help anyone. I can't even help myself." He smacks his hand off the steering wheel, "Stop that shit Carlie!" he roars, "There was no way for you to know that this would happen! Stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong!" I reflexively curl into my seat and cover my ears while smothering my will as he rants. "Stop Jake," I mumble, my voice barely more than a breath,"You're scaring me." His eyes grow wide and he stops mid-rant, "I'm-" "Shut the fuck up Jake, I'm tired of hearing how fucking sorry everyone is," I moan and pull my hood up. He raises his hand towards me then lowers it when I shudder and cringe further into the upholstery.

About an hour goes by when I move again. I can see my hands are trembling when I take them from the sides of my head. James words thunder through my brain. "No one can save you." I draw my knees to my chest and bury my face against them. "No one can save me." I whisper to myself as Jake pushes the Celica to ever increasing speeds.

Seven and a half hours into the drive everyone decides to stop outside of Boise Idaho, exactly halfway to Las Vegas. Edward and Jacob had been adamant about stopping to rest because Bella and I had started getting car sick. Carlisle and Esme had turned back to keep an eye on things after Alice had her vision. So had Sam and his pack. I'd forgotten about Charlie until we had pulled into the parking lot. He was finally coming to consciousness and neither Bella or I were looking forward to the inevitable conversation. Bella and I watch the sun rise while Emmett and Rose get our rooms. The vampires were in motion as soon as the keys were handed out. It was going to be a sunny day and they needed to get under cover before they were exposed. We are carried to our rooms at a fast human pace. Embry carries Charlie, who has begun to mumble.

Our room was actually a presidential suite that included a kitchen and a small office area. It looked more like a condo than a hotel room but we needed the size to accommodate four werewolves, five humans, and five vampires almost comfortably. Once safe inside, Quil, Leah, and Allen slip out to get everyone something to eat. Embry has tossed Charlie onto one of the couches and is now showering. Edward is speed talking on the phone while keeping a careful eye on Bella as she inspects the room. Alice and Jasper are discussing a hunting trip to a place northeast of the city with Emmett and Rosalie. Challis National Forest, I think. Jake interjects himself into the conversation, determining the amount of time the trip was going to take. Allen wanders into another bathroom and I hear water running. Mischa is out on the balcony smoking so I join her.

When I steal her cigarette, she jumps then smiles,"How you doing bait?" she asks. I shiver and shrug a shoulder,"You know, being chased by and insane vampire, nothing to brag about." She laughs,"Nah, this entire family is crazier and more dangerous that one little nutjob besides, you deal with the likes of Alice on a regular basis, everything else should be a breeze." I chuckle, "She is pretty overwhelming at times, isn't she?" Mischa nods,"Only when she's awake." She waves a hand out towards the city,"What do you think?" I look around,"It's too loud. When I first moved to Forks I thought I'd never get used to the quiet. I didn't realize how wrong I was until I came out here." She sagely nods and takes a drink of her Red Bull. Allen and Bella soon make their way out, then the wolves as well.

We stand out there, everyone trying to silently comfort Bella and me. We didn't have the heart to tell them that their efforts were wasted. "Bells, Nessie! What the hell is going on here?" Charlie's voice yowls from inside. We look at each other then rush in. He runs to us and crushes us in his arms, "What's going on girls?" he pleads, "Edward wouldn't say anything except that we had to make you safe at all costs. Since when do you smoke Carlie?" Shit. I'd forgotten to toss it when I ran in."Since I was about 12, but that's not an issue right now." I answer," Edward wasn't kidding Charlie. We're seriously fucked this time." Bella continues, "One of James' helpers was spotted in Forks near our house Uncle Charlie. We freaked out and made a run for it. Alice and Jasper were just trying to help us by getting you out of Forks too. We asked them to do it so be mad at us, not them." Charlie shakes his head," You should have called me, we could have gotten you into protective custody and the right people put on this Bella."

He looks over our head at the room full of teenagers,"I understand you are all very protective of my girls, but I'm disappointed in every single one of you. This irresponsible behavior has just made things worse. We are all going home right now and have this sorted out the correct way." "We can't do that Charlie," I argue, "Things aren't what they seem in this situation. Please trust us. We have to stay here until dark, then we're going to Vegas." Vegas?" he glowers, "What the hell is in Vegas?" Edward steps forward, "Nothing. It's what is in the desert outside of Las Vegas that we have concern over. Something that we had hoped to put behind us," he shares a look with Jake,"Something that was realized to be a mistake to have left behind." Charlie drops his grip on us and stomps over to Edward,"What bullshit are you trying to shove down my throat Edward?!" Jake puts his big hand on Charlie's shoulder,"You don't want to know the answer to that Charlie, because if we tell you, there is no going back." He spins to face Jake,"I want to know now Jacob! And what does your father think about your part in all of this? Does he know about this little stunt?" Jake smiles, "Yeah, Dad knows. He told me to do whatever I needed to do to protect Carlie and Bella and that's exactly what I'm doing." He gathers me in his arms and looks down at me, love burning in his expression, "I'd kill to protect them Charlie. I'd die to protect them. They mean too much to me." "I concur with Jacob's words,"Edward says, Bella wrapped in his embrace.

Everyone in the room follows suit until Charlie stands exasperated. He opens his mouth and shuts it a few times, unable to find words to match his rage or his questions. Behind him, the door silently opens and Leah, Allen, and Quil slink in, questions evident on their faces until they see Charlie. "Sit down and relax Charlie,"Allen commands, making Charlie jump and turn in his direction, "All of your bitching is giving me a headache and we've got bigger shit to worry about than you trying to give yourself a heart attack." Charlie scowls at him, "And what's your part in all of this Allen?" Allen sits and props his feet up while watching Charlie's face. "Well, that's a bit of a complication pumpkin," he opens his ever present bottle of Pepsi and takes a sip before continuing, "I'm one of the assholes who is going to help give whatever motherfucker who is after my girls a really bad day. You've got two choices at this point Chuck, help or get the fuck out of the way. Personally I'd suggest getting the hell out of the way because you're about to enter a whole new fucking ball game." Charlie snorts,"What game is that?" Allen smiles, and raises his hand, "Something that involves this," he snaps his fingers and a pillar of flame sprouts from his hand. "Allen!" us three witches scream. "What?" he asks, "It was only going to be a matter of time before Chuck here found out the truth anyways. I just got to be the one who popped his cherry."

"Not fucking funny Allen, "Edward growls. Allen shrugs, "Aw, come on Eddie. We're all heading towards certain death and I just wanted to have a little fun before I'm compost okay? Besides, it's better if he freaks out here where we can almost control the damage instead in the middle of a vampire attack where he really would have a fucking heart attack." "Enough," Jake intercedes,"He looks like he's going to pass out. Embry, put Charlie in that chair behind you." Charlie looks like he's having an aneurysm as Embry guides him to the seat. "Vampires?" Charlie repeats to himself as he sits. "Allen. Outside. Now." Bella, Mischa, and I say as one. He laughs and follows us out.

"That was uncalled for,"Bella angrily mutters once out on the balcony. Allen shakes his head,"We don't have time for kid gloves my pretties. Charlie's a smart guy who spends most of his life wrapped in a delusion so he doesn't have to face what he already knows." "What's that?" I ask. Allen stretches and puts his arms behind his head,"Did you know that your mom was with Charlie before she married your dad?" Bella and I nod,"Yes, and?" Bella pushes. Allen shakes his head,"Did you ever stop to think that maybe if your mom told your dad about her powers that there might be a teeny weeny little chance that she may have told Charlie too? I mean, she was already pregnant when she shocked all of Forks by running away with Phil instead of Charlie." he drops his arms and sits forward,"Think about it a little before you continue busting my balls. Damn! I hate being the only guy in this coven. Feels like I'm PMSing right with you three." "What are you trying to say Allen?" Bella inquires, "that we might be Charlie's? What does that have to do with anything?" He rubs his face and chuckles, "The point is, my dear clumsy little witch, if Renee was that close to Charlie, he had to have known what she was capable of and you need to give Chuck a little more credit on his ability to handle the fucking situation." I sigh,"Regardless, he knows about one tiny piece of the big fucking picture and is currently surrounded by a bunch of supernatural creatures who are trying not to divulge any more secrets without us in there. The Wicked Witches can argue later."

We walk back in to see that our family is being scrutinized by our uncle. He sees us,"Tell me everything before I decide you all need a vacation in a mental ward." Bella takes my hand and we walk over to our uncle. "Don't panic," we say in unison.

An hour after we've finished and Charlie is still pacing out on the balcony while arguing with himself. The vampires have managed to sneak to the car garage and take off to go hunting. The wolves are lounging around, sleeping or watching tv. Allen and Leah are napping in one of the rooms while Bella and Mischa have fallen asleep while spooning on the couch. Anyone who didn't know our family would have thought that sexual, but for us, it was just two people who needed mutual comfort at the time. I'm sprawled out in one of the huge overstuffed chairs, too tired to do anything but watch Jacob as he sleeps at my feet. I squirm around so I can lay my head against Jacob's. He stirs slightly then settles once more, a low rumbling coming from his chest. I know he'll sleep easier now that he's touching me. Quil motions to get my attention, then makes the drink gesture with a questioning look. I nod and he springs lightly to his feet and pads to the kitchen. I hear the fridge open and him rummage around. The sound makes Embry open his eyes and look around. I smile at him and motion for him to go back to sleep. He winks and lets his head fall back onto the pillow. Quil reappears, a can of Code Red Mountain Dew in his hand. I take it and mouth a thanks as he pats me on the head then takes up his spot on the floor in front of the door again. After a while, Charlie's grumbling silences and I look over to check on him. He's standing in the doorway, eyeing all of us.

I climb over the side of the chair and walk over to him. "Can we talk?" he whispers. I nod and make my way outside, closing the glass doors behind us. "What can I do for you Charlie?" I ask, lighting a menthol. He puts his hands on his hips and glares at the cigarette. I give him a look,"If you wanted me out here so you can bitch about me smoking I'm going back inside. My boyfriend does that enough." He lets out a heavy sigh and shakes his head,"No. I don't approve but you wouldn't listen anyways. You and your sister are just as stubborn as your mother." He gets a pained look on his face. "I never did right by Renee, Nessie. When she showed me what she could do, I couldn't handle it. I turned away from her and called her everything but a person that day. I never got a chance to apologize. Her and Phil took off, left Forks, and I didn't see her again until after they were married. We never talked about it. Hell, I didn't even know she was pregnant until one of the doctors called the house wondering why she'd missed her first appointment. When I asked her about you girls, she told me I'd lost the right to know whether you were mine or not. All because she'd trusted me enough to show me her magic and I couldn't hack it." He drops into a chair and hangs his head. "She never told me about vampires or werewolves, but I never really gave her a chance to either. You girls didn't have anyone you could turn to after she died until you found all of them." He chuckles darkly,"And to think I sincerely thought that I could protect you without acknowledging what you and Bella could do. I am such a failure Nessie. I can't protect the two people who mean the most to me in this world. I'm a cop for crying out loud! How can I be so helpless?"

I take his hands in mine,"Charlie listen to me. None of this is your fault. The world you knew is what 99.9% of the world knows. Billions of people on this earth who don't have a clue any of this exists let alone know how to fight something like this. You're not a failure, you had no reason or need to know anything about this until now. None of us are going to hold that against you, I promise." He looks up at me, his warm chocolate eyes shining with tears, "What do I do Carlie?" "You do what the rest of us do," Edward's voice floats from the doors,"You love them and care for them the best you can. You protect them in the best ways you can. That's all any of us can do. Now come in and get some rest. We'll be leaving at sundown."

**Sorry to leave you hanging in the middle of this, but it's getting long and lots more stuff is coming!**

**Quick question..IS JAMES BEHIND ALL OF THIS OR IS HE STILL BURIED??????**

**_Thanks to all, again, who have taken the time to review! I love you!_**

**Oh, and once again plugging M ****Wilridge****--in my faves, go check her stuff out!!!!!!**

**Some others to check out --- EZRocksAngel ****xlovestory**** Princess ****Briar**** Rose ****Eviefan**** angelspinknose**

**oxoxTwilightloverxoxo Nico22 ****DeydreamBeliever**

**REVIEWS ARE BETTER THAN ELOPING WITH EDWARD..NOT REALLY BUT I STILL LOVE REVIEWS!!!!!!!**


	23. Part 23 Vegas or Dust

**I OWN NOTHING COPYRIGHTED BY ANYBODY!!!!!!!**

**Lo Fidelity ****Allstars****-****Battleflag**

Your construction Smells of corruption I manipulate to recreate This air to ground saga Gotta launder my karma

I said hallelujah to the sixteen loyal fans You ll get down on your muthafuckin' knees And it's time for your sickness again Come on and tell me what you need Tell me what is making you bleed We got two more minutes and We gonna cut to what you need So one of six so tell me One do you want to live And one of seven tell me Is it time for your muthafuckin' ass to give Tell me is it time to get down on your muthafuckin' knees Tell me is it time to get down

I'm blown to the maxim Two hemispheres battlin' I'm blown to the maxim Two hemispheres battlin' Suckin' up, one last breath

Hey Mr. Policeman Is it time for getting away Is it time for driving down the mother fuckin' road And running from your ass today Now tell me if do you agree Or tell me if I'm makin you bleed I got a few more minutes and I'm gonna cut to what you need So one of six so tell me One do you want to live And one of seven tell me Is it time for your muthafuckin' ass to give Tell me is it time to get down on your muthafuckin' knees Tell me is it time to get down

Got a revolution behind my eyes We got to get up and organize Got a revolution behind my eyes We got to get up and organize Got a revolution behind my eyes We got to get up and organize You want a revolution behind your eyes We got to get up and organize

Come on baby tell me Yes we aim to please

**Part 23**

**Vegas or Dust**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

Charlie had taken things well, despite his initial reaction. Him and Carlie had talked after I fell asleep on Mischa, though it was repeated when I awoke. He had looked almost comfortable until he'd seen the vampires sparkle and the werewolf phasing. That took him a few more hours to process. Once he did, he made himself interact with everyone like nothing strange had occurred. None of us were in the mood to press it so we let him. He hissed every now and then when one of the vampires would walk through the sunlight in our suite, but ignored it like everything else going on around him. When us four witches sat down to practice, he went to the farthest corner of the room and deliberately stared at the television. The vampires moving at full speed, dividing purchases up into different piles for the vehicles made him cringe every time he could hear the air disturbed, but he was determined. He was currently ignoring the large grey wolf out on the balcony that was Leah, sleeping with her muzzle in Allen's lap while he read. I had mixed feelings about all of this. On one hand, I was grateful that he wasn't having a nervous breakdown but, on the other hand, I was terrified that he would now want to be a part of the fight we knew would follow us out into the desert.

"What are you thinking angel?" Edward's velvet voice calls to me. He brushes my hair back as I turn my gaze to his. "Charlie." He chuckles quietly, "Yes, he has had quite a day, hasn't he? I'm surprised he hasn't flipped out yet." I fold my arms under my chin and tilt my head so I can see the subject of debate,"He's strong Edward. I'm not saying that any of this did any good for his heart, but he'll manage. I'm just hoping that he doesn't get into the middle of what's coming. I don't know what Carlie and I would do if something happened to him." He lays his head against mine,"If anything, we'll hog tie his ass and toss him in the trunk of the Mercedes love. The funny thing is that I think he could take seeing a fight involving werewolves, vampires, and witches. I think watching us get married will be harder for him." "You aren't saying we still go through with it, are you?" He nods and smiles,"Why the hell wouldn't I? I told you, I intend to make you mine in every way Isabella Swan. I'm not going to let something as trivial as a war deter me. The only question I have about it is: Do you want to get married before or after we win the battle?" I can't help but laugh,"You are unbelievable Edward." He gives me a kiss,"I just love you that much angel."

Carlie walks passed us and outside. We watch her move one of the patio tables into the shade and adjust the chairs. She pulls out a newspaper and sets it on the table and walks back in, then enters the kitchen. I hear her pour a cup of coffee and grab a few double cheeseburgers out of the bag the wolves brought home for us. Then she passes by again, returning to the table. She plants herself in one seat, props her feet on another, and reads the paper while she eats. I chuckle. Here we are, our fates unknown, and Carlie is sticking to her morning ritual. It's late afternoon but she just woke up about 15 minutes beforehand, so I guess she's considering it her morning. Edward doesn't think twice about it. He gives me another kiss and walks out to join her. I see her questioning look towards him when he walks out, but he just smiles his crooked smile, lifts her feet up, sits down and sets her feet in his lap before picking up a section of the paper.

I sit up and rub my sore neck. I love Mischa, but sharing a couch with anyone for six hours is bound to make anyone stiff."Such creatures of habit, witches and vampires," Jake laughs as he sits down beside me. "We could cook breakfast and keep to our own morning routine if you'd like Bells," he teases as he turns my chair so my back is to him. "Yeah, that would make some sense," I answer as he pins my hair up and begins massaging my neck. "Edward and I talked Bells. The four of us are going to ride to Vegas together. Charlie is going to take the Celica and Quil is going to ride with him. Embry is going to ride with Mischa in the Lancer. I figure they'll switch up a few times along the way. It's going to be difficult to make as good of time the rest of the way that we made this morning. We're probably looking at another 8 to 10 hours drive time before we hit downtown Vegas. We'll get another suite and lay low for a day or two to see if we've been followed. After that, we go out to the desert and finish what you and Carlie began. It's time for James to die and anyone who helped him hurt our girls will be brought down as well. No more leaving enemies behind to bite us on the ass another day."

I give myself over to his ministrations for a while, letting his too warm too big hands soothe the tense muscles. I could feel my entire body relaxing so I grasped at a subject simply to stay awake, "What's the plan once we get to the desert?" "Jasper has been mulling a few things over with us since this morning. Nothing too concrete until we have a better idea of their numbers. Alice has been trying to induce visions all day, " he answers and moves his attentions to my shoulders. "Do we have any idea of how many so far?" I can feel him shrug,"Alice thinks no more than twenty to twenty five. The big issues is that, according to her, between half and three-quarters of them are newborns." I take a drink of my soda, "Well, there's fourteen of us so we're going to have to assume at least two for everyone. Me and the other witches can handle two easily. It might be better for us to try and focus on clusters of them. Maximum damage with minimum effort." He chuckles, "You witches, always trying to take away everyone elses fun." I shake my head, "No Jake. If the vampires go first and herd them in, we take out as many as we can in one big shot, then we let loose the dogs of war. The vampires keep them from scattering and the witches take out whoever gets out of the target area. Both of us will burn whatever gets torn off. The wolves will have the most fun job of them all because you'll be in the thick of things little brother, right where you want to be." I can hear the smile in his voice when he answers, "If I have to fight, no place I'd rather be. No place like it Bells."

He finishes his massage and I thank him earnestly before kissing his cheek. He growls and throws me over his shoulder, acting every bit the caveman as he takes us out to our soul mates. Grunting and scratching, he drops me into Edward's lap before picking up Carlie and setting her in his lap. "How you doing beautiful?" Edward's lips tremble against my neck as he whispers, sending chills through me. "Fine now," I answer. *_Keep that up and we will be taking advantage of one of those bedrooms_* I add mentally. He laughs and holds me to him a little tighter *_I might take you up on that if Charlie weren't a factor angel_* he thinks back to me. I pout my lips until he kisses them. "It will be alright angel, in a few days we won't have to worry about that anymore because we're going to do what we set out to do," he states aloud. I look at him *_You're trying to confuse Charlie aren't you?_* He nods, devious smirk plastered to his face. I smack his arm, "Jerk." His grin just gets bigger.

Mischa slinks out just then, her long auburn hair still dripping from her shower and dark sunglasses covering her greenish eyes, "Bathroom's open for whoever," she announces as she takes a seat. I hear Charlie call dibs on the shower as Mischa lights her cigarette and sighs,"It's pretty fucked up. A few hours ago we were all so scared that we could barely function. Now it's just like another day at the house. I wonder what's up with that." Edward answers,"A few hours ago we didn't know what we would be coming against, now we do. At least, we have an idea of what to expect. It's a little flag that's usually reserved for golfers. It's called hope emo girl." She raises her middle finger,"Number one again Eddie. There's only one way golf should be played. Drunk, with golf carts, and possibly explosives. That way you're too fucked up to blow up the flags until you've run them, and each other, over." Allen laughs from his place at the corner of the balcony, "We'll have to take everyone when we get home Mischa. They won't fully appreciate it until they've lived through it." We all laugh at the thought. Carlie suddenly grabs Jake's arm, "Vamps versus wolves, full contact golf!" "Sounds like a plan," I qualify. Edward looks at me, "And where do you fit in with that plan?" I shrug, "I'm with the vampires, of course." Carlie smacks my arm,"Wouldn't you rather just go slaughter unsuspecting high school kids at prom or something?" I laugh, "Yeah, and the werewolves could play fetch with them afterwards!"

We're laughing so hard that the looks being given to us by both vampire and werewolf are lost on us for the moment. We don't care right then because it feels good to just let go and laugh at something stupid. For that time, we felt like our old selves. Our laughter draws everyone outside, into the growing shadow of the building. We allow ourselves freedom to be childish and vulgar. Disgusting and silly. Charlie leers at us from the room after getting a shower, confused and giving us a look at explains he thinks we've all gone mad. It just makes us laughter harder.

All too soon, the sun rests on the horizon and we're preparing for another night of insane speeds and the sight of pavement disappearing as our vehicles chew up the miles of desert. Emmett and Rose head out first in line. Allen and Leah are next. Mischa and Embry follow them. We are behind them. Charlie and Quil follow us. Alice and Jasper tail them. Bringing up the rear are Mischa and Embry. For all of our fears, no one can resist an all out race once the lights of the city are fading in the rear-view. Carlie and I snuggle into the backseat while our boys try to out bullshit each other as the miles tick by. I can't help but smile. It's funny what a little hope does for people.

"We're here angel" his voice lures me towards consciousness. I search for my eyes a moment before feeling them open to look upon the most beautiful sight in my world. He is holding me tight against his chest as he walks through the hotel. "Time?" I mumble against his shoulder. "Almost six thirty," he answers. I tighten my grip around his neck and breathe in his sweet scent. We stop briefly. I hear him slide a key card and then the tell tale click of a door opening. Murmurs of approval spring up around us and I force the fogginess of sleep away from my mind. "A suite fit for my queen," he mutters into my hair. I lift my head and look around. Holy crow! It looks like the inside of a mansion! "W-wow." I stammer, gazing at the large satyr fountain in the entry. Marble floors and elegant chandeliers. Curtains of the finest velvet and buttery suede upholstery. He chuckles,"What's first, human moment or tour?" I internally debate a few seconds. My body wins. "Human moment please." He nods and carries me into a bathroom twice the size of my bedroom at home. Creamy peach marble and gold accents give it a Romanesque feel. He lowers me to my feet and kisses my forehead before retreating. I attend to my needs and move to the sink to wash my hands and brush my teeth. I snort. The name on the complimentary soaps alone would take me a month to afford that one little bottle. I check myself over in the mirror. Ugh. Haystack look again. Damn, I left my bag- I'm stopped mid-thought by a gentle knock on the door. I open it and a pale hand darts in, holding my bag. "Thanks love," I mumble and kiss his hand before taking the bag. His hand curls around my face gently, his thumb stroking my cheek once before retracting.

With that encouragement, I decide to take full advantage of the situation and get a shower. I quickly strip and enter the huge walk-in shower. I turn the water on and soon the room is filled with steam as I close my eyes and enjoy the hot water running over my stiff form. I eventually begin washing my hair, taking care to keep it out of the water once I get the conditioner in. I scrub my body twice, pushing my fingers into my skin to massage the worst of the sore parts each time. I rinse my hair out and begin debating on shaving when I hear the door slip open and closed with barely a sound. "Care to join me love?" I ask him, not bothering to open my eyes. I hear his soft chuckle and the sounds of him undressing. The glass door moves and I feel the cooler air for only a second and then his arms are engulfing me. I lay my head back against his muscled chest and sigh with contentment. As his skin warms under the water, he shifts and I feel feather light kisses along my collarbone. I let my head swivel to the side to give him unrestricted access. His lips blaze their path to my throat and he moans. "What's wrong Edward?" He glides his nose over the exposed flesh, "You smell so good wet. Like a meadow after a spring rain. It's intoxicating my love." His hands begins to travel over my skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. I can feel his body reacting to the skin on skin contact and my sensitivity to his touch flares. My hands find their way into his unruly mane and give a slight tug. It's answered with another moan and his lips become less gentle as they move. His right hand brushes my hips and they twitch in response to his touch. His fingers begin tracing small swirls that move lower with each pass, I feel the moisture trickle down my thighs. Edward takes a deep breath and exhales in a low growl. His fingers slide between my wet folds and begin caressing my aching bud. I drop my left hand and reach between our slick bodies. I find his rigid member and slide my fingers around it, then squeeze just enough to make him moan against my skin. His hips hitch, making him shift in my hand. I get a firm grip and move my hand up and down, eagerly anticipating his reaction. His breathing quickens and becomes ragged, matching my own as our fingers dance. We work each other to a fevered lust driven frenzy, our moans of pleasure filling the room. He suddenly spins me around and picks me up, lips crashing down on mine as I wrap my legs around his waist. I feel his delicious length slide into me as my back connects with the wall. My hands find the shower head and grip for dear life as his own hands grasp my hips, pushing and pulling me along his hard organ. "Feels so good," I whimper as our hips crash together over and over. He leans forward and captures a hard nipple in his mouth as he bucks against me. I arch my back to meet his lips. I can feel my insides tightening and press him urgently for a rougher, harder tempo. He eagerly complies and begins rocking into me with harder thrusts, faster rhythm. The first of what I know will be many orgasms washes over me. Edward releases one of my hips and moves his hand back to my center, his fingers having no trouble finding that sensitive cluster and rubbing it in rough circles. "More," I whimper.

**_CRASH!_**

In a flash, Edward pulls me off of his body and sets me down between him and the wall, a snarl of defense ripping out of his chest as he prepares to spring.

"Sorry! My bad!" Emmett's voice echoes through the bathroom, "I was trying out the pogo stick I found in one of the rooms and Jasper hit me and I lost my balance! I did-"

"Emmett, I'm going to fucking kill you!" Edward roars and dives at his brother. Emmett dodges the attack and streaks out the door, followed by Edward, who took a half a heartbeat to put on his jeans before chasing his brother.

I turn the water off, hurriedly drying and dressing in the relative seclusion of the shower. I hear thumps and crashes from the rooms around me and secretly root for Edward. Emmett definitely needed to lose a limb or five for this. Carlie meets me at the door and guides me around the area where the majority of us have gathered. Rosalie spots me and mouths _'I'm sorry_' as Carlie walks me up the staircase. She throws open the first door she comes to. "In," she demands. I enter, her close behind. It's a beautiful room, a metallic midnight blue the major color in here. "This is you and Edward's room, " she qualifies, "But I think I'm going to hide in here with you for now because I think they're going to be at it for a while."

45 minutes later, my bronze haired god steps in the door, managing to look meek, except for that cocky smile."Hi angel,"is all he says as he sits down on the couch beside me. Carlie glares at him, but he pretends not to notice. "How's Emmett?" I ask. Edward snickers, "Put it this way, he will never look at a pogo stick without blushing ever again in his entire existence." My jaw drops as Carlie falls off the couch laughing. I gape like a fish for a minute before I finally stammer out,"Y-you didn't hurt E-Emmett, did you?" Carlie is rolling on the floor, tears streaming down her face,"I-I bet Em do-doesn't need a b-bounc-cy chair now eh Ed-Edward?" she squeals between fits of insane giggling. Edward's eye flit between her and me, grin growing bigger by the second, "My idiot brother will be fine, eventually. I promise." Carlie begins a new round and Edward looks down at her,"Do you need help little sister?" She shakes her head, "No, but I might want to ride the new Emmett-on-a-stick!" I can feel the blood drain from my face,"What did you do to Emmett? Tell me now Edward." He sobers up and looks at me, "Carlie explained it fairly accurately love. I turned him into an Emmett-on-a-stick." "What?!" I screech. He looks startled and amused,"What? I told him that I was going to shove it up his ass if he didn't hold still while I pounded the hell out of him! He chose to run like the little bitch he is!" I get to my feet, "Wrong answer Cullen."

I make it halfway across the room when I trip and fall. He doesn't let me collide with the floor yet again. "Bella, you're going to be the death of me, I swear," he proclaims as he sets me upright, his voice full of love mixed with concern now , "You need to be more careful." He turns and looks at me until I look up into his eyes, "And what did I say about calling me by my last name? You know I hate it when you do that." His amber eyes are smoldering. He pulls me closer until our lips are almost touching. Spots start dancing cross my vision. "Breathe Bella, "he whispers, his eyes never breaking their hold on mine. I let out a long, ragged breath, "What?" I ask. I can't remember what I was saying. I know I was supposed to be upset with him, "Stop dazzling me Cullen," I complain, using his last name. I know he hates it when I do that. He growls and snaps by body tight against his, then starts gliding his nose along my jawline,"Don't" kiss, "Call," kiss, "Me," kiss, "That." kiss."My" kiss "Name," kiss, "Is," kiss, "Edward." I breathe his name as his lips brush against mine."What's my name angel?" he asks. "I want to hear it roll off of your tongue." Another silken caress of his lips."Edward." I moan. "Don't ever fucking forget it," his lips crush against mine.

"Ugh, I think I'm going to vomit," Carlie groans and picks herself up out of the floor. I pull away from Edward and dash over to her,"Are you okay Nessie?" She nods weakly,"My stomach hurts from laughing so hard Bells and then I had to experience what happens when you and him forget that other people are still in the room." I hear Edward growl in frustration this time, "Go away then Carlie, I really want to get back to what Emmett interrupted." I nod in agreement over her head at him. I help her to the door and reach for the handle as it swings open. Alice and the other girls grab me and my twin before I can protest,"Spa time! Come on girls, nothing like a good day of pampering before a battle!" Edward's hands are fisted tightly into his hair as he roars,"Alice!" She puts her hands on her hips,"Yes Edward?" He jumps up and puts an arm around my waist,"We were a little occupied before Emmett came along and we really want to get back to it." Alice gives him her death-glare,"Well, a certain vampire should have thought about that instead of chasing his brother around with a pogo stick until he managed to turn said brother into a party favor." He outs his hands together, "Please Alice, give us an hour," he leans down and whispers in my ear,"We can do an hour right?" I nod vehemently but Alice is shaking her head, "Not a chance Edward Anthony. All of the girls go now. If Bella doesn't go, none of us go. How happy do you think you'll be with six angry women on your ass like white on rice?" His voice grows plaintive,"Please Alice, you're killing me." She squares her little shoulders, "Fine Edward. Do you want her before or after I tell her how many times you've jacked off while thinking about her when the poor thing takes the high road and suffers in silence?" I wish I could melt through the floor right then. Surprisingly, he lets go of me,"Take her now." Alice beams at him,"Like there was any doubt I would win, silly horny boy." I'm snatched up by Leah and Mischa while Carlie is grabbed by Alice and Rosalie. "Toodles loverboy,"Rosalie winks at him as we're carried out the door. We are almost out in the hall when Edward reappears. Alice just smirks and turns to me,"Do we start with the all time total or do you want a day by day schedule?" He stops dead in his tracks,"Don't do this Alice." She throws her head back and gives such an evil laugh that I get goosebumps, then her head snaps forward,"You have no idea what kind of damage I am prepared to do so we can have a girls day out brother," she hisses menacingly," So unless you plan on becoming a girl for the day and joining us, get the fuck out of the way Edward." We all look at her when she drops the F-bomb. No one is more startled than Edward, who lets us pass without another complaint.

Hours later.

347 times? I keep asking myself on our way back from our "girls day out". Alice had pulled me aside while waiting on the elevator to tell me that his grand total has been 347 times. Where does he find the time or energy? I'm still debating when we enter our suite. It's dead silent. Leah finds a note that explains that the boys went down to the casino for a bit. Alice starts grinning like a fiend,"We're getting dressed up girls!" Mischa groans. "Why are we getting dressed up Alice?" Carlie inquires. "Too mess with the boys, of course," she explains like we're all five.

Suddenly the evil pixie is a miniature tornado, tearing through luggage and making phone calls. Answering the door and tossing garment bags at us. In under an hour, she has us all dressed in matching dresses, each one a unique hue. Pink was Alice, red-Rosalie, Blue-me, Green-Carlie, Dark violet was Leah, and Mischa held out and got the black one. A short satin thing with a flowing sheer cover that splits midriff but shows no skin. Alice called the rhinestone neckline a sweetheart neckline. The only deviation to our outfits were that Mischa, Carlie, and myself wore thigh-high boots that matched the color of our gowns while the others wore spiky stiletto's. Rose had managed to fix Carlie's hair so that no one would notice that the sides of her head are shaved. We didn't get time to catch our collective breath when Alice is pushing us all back out the door and back to the elevators. As soon as the doors open, she commands us to link hands and follow her lead.

She is a woman on a mission as she navigates the vast expanse of the gaming floor. We must have been a sight as we breezed through the place. Six young women in idential dresses, laughing like nymphs in a Shakespearean tale. She guides us to an area that is visible from a number of gaming tables. This is where she pulls us onto the dance floor and intructs us to dance only with each other, she doesn't even care if it's badly. "Make it fun girls, just let yourselves feel the music," she tells us,"The boys will come find us, I promise." She scurries over to the dj and spends about two minutes over there, then the music changes and she dances back, a grin on her face. We're caught up in Alice's game so we dance. A lot. When Carlie and I begin dancing together, we attract a crowd. A lot. Alice subtly points out our boys gawking at us with their eyes popping out of their heads. A lot. They proceeded to stalk us, letting their alpha mentalities guide them to us. When Edward finally put his arms around my waist, his eyes were dark with lust. A lot. When we danced, it reminded me of that first time when I realized how sensual dancing truly was. His nostrils flared, he could smell my arousal. He didn't act on it though, instead choosing to let it churn and build. I could feel how excited he was, but it only served to make me push him harder. I don't know how long we danced, I just remember the feel of his hard body grinding against mine and his eyes on me, hooded with unbridled lust.

When he swept me off of my feet, I naturally assumed that we would be going back to our room. I was a little disappointed when we entered a walk-through aquarium. I noticed we were the only occupants as he sat me on my feet, then had to catch me from falling on my face. Our laughter echoes through the tunnel. I catch him watching me, a thoughtful look on his face. "What Edward?" I ask,"Do I have something on my face?" He smiles and tucks a few stray tendrils behind my ear,"The sun, the moon, the stars flicker and fight because they attempt, in vain, to be as beautiful as you are. If I could give you a diamond for every time you cross my mind and my heart, the universe would be filled with them. If you could only fathom how much I truly love you Bella," he answers wistfully,"My darling, I have endured the oceans of good and evil to gaze upon your angel face. Fought through frost and flame to obtain the chance to see you smile. Struggled against the overwhelming darkness to catch a glimpse of the light that is you. I have battled time itself in hopes that I would be the one you would shine that light upon. You are my love, my life, my heart, and my soul. You are my everything. Isabella," he lowers himself to one knee and pulls something from his pocket,

"Would you, could you, endure being loved and cherished like no other for all eternity?" He opens his hand to reveal a silver ring wrought with filigree and diamonds,"Would you be my wife Isabella Marie Swan?"

A million things to say flood my mind. Some terrifying, others that would make Shakespeare weep. I toss them all aside because no words would ever do but one. "Yes."

He lays a kiss on my left hand, then slides the ring on my third finger. He then takes me in his arms and gives me the most passionate kiss of my existence. When he finally draws back to look at me, I behold a sight I didn't think possible. Tucked safely in his lower eyelashes there is moisture. I raise my hand to touch it and it breaks free and rolls down his porcelain cheek. "Oh Edward," I gasp,"You're crying!" I touch the tear before it can fall from his face, then hold my finger up so he can marvel as well. He beams at me. I stare, in awe at the tiny miracle, then I do something without a second thought. I lift the tear to my mouth and touch it to my tongue. Salty sweet. Perfect. He laughs and lifts me by my waist, then spins us in circles, "I love you! I love you! I love you!" he bellows triumphantly as we twirl. I beg him to put me down and he grudgingly complies. Once on the ground, he lets all of me go but my left hand which he lays a soft kiss on each digit, the ring, and my palm before holding it against his cheek and letting his eyes close. I don't try to count the minutes, hours, days, passing as we stand there. I simply gaze upon my soul mate.

He suddenly opens his eyes, a new gleam in those molten pools of gold,"Let's go Bella, let's be married before we take another step down one more dark road. Tonight or in the morning," he snakes an arm around me as we walk," I am such a selfish creature Bella, I can't stand the thought of going another day without being able to call you my wife." I am so blissfully happy that I don't argue. This beautiful boy wants me forever. That's one thing I am eager to give.

Suddenly we hear a series of booms and both the fire alarm and sprinkler systems go off simultaneously. Edward is swinging me onto his back when the screams hit me. Carlie. Panic slams against the edges of my mind. "Where is she?" I snap at Edward. He scans the moving crowd for a few seconds before springing into motion. We can see Quil and Embry towering over the others, obviously searching. "Quil, Embry!" I shout. Their heads snap in our direction "Bella!" "Where's Carlie?" we yell to each other. Mischa's scream momentarily overcomes the din of the crowd, "Charlie!" Chaos erupts as the family converges, frantic because Charlie and my twin are missing. Then Carlie's piercing shrieks block out everything else, except for the explosions that follow it. Jacob takes off running in the direction of my sisters cries. We have no choice but to follow.

"Mischa, Allen, kill the cameras," I instruct them as we run. We gather our wills and short circuit the security system."Now!" we call to the wolves. Four Indians explode into their lupine forms, snarling and growling as they lope through the building. Allen and Mischa are picked up by Emmett and Rose and then we race to catch up.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

Jake and I had been keeping an eye on Charlie while the others explored. When they had to have a human moment, I waited directly across from the door. I seen Charlie exit and wander into the crowd while conversing with a strange man. I hurried to grab him. That's when I seen her.

_Victoria._

Flame red hair coming out of nowhere and colliding with my uncle. I could hear Charlie scream as she grabbed him. I drew my will and pulled the electricity from around me, channelling it towards that vile red. The bitch dodged it and disappeared into the next hall, my uncle thrown over her shoulder. I let out a strangled cry and pursue them. Every time I zero in on that hair, I let loose another bolt. The fire alarms go off as objects burst into flames and the sprinklers activate. She turns and smiles at me, then hugs Charlie to her so hard that I can hear bones break from across the room. My vision becomes red as the rage takes me. I begin screeching at her as I break into a run, hurtling every bit of energy I have at her smirking visage. She's not getting away this time.

As we break out of the building and into the street, Victoria takes off at full vampire speed. I propel myself forward, driving my will into letting me hover above the ground as I sped passed the unsuspecting humans. Some part of my mind registers the fact that my name is being called, but I can't afford to look for the source. She's getting away! Something connects with me hard and I drop from the air. I manage to pull my will in just in time. My Jacob. "Victoria has Charlie! I have to save him!" I cry as I jump to my feet. Stupid fucking boots, I pull them off. "We have to wait for everyone Carlie, you can't do this alone, it's a trap honey," he snarls, barely in more control of himself than I am. His grip on my arms is unbreakable though he trembles violently. Hanging on by a thread. "Carlie!" my sister yells, catapulting herself from Edward's back and onto me,"What's happening?" she demands. "The redheaded bitch has Charlie Bells," I spit between clenched teeth,"And she's fucking getting away." "Which way?" Edward asks. I point. He nods and starts giving orders to his siblings. Jake picks me up and takes off running,"What are we doing?" I question. "We're catching up with the pack, everyone else is going back to get the cars. There's shit we need in them or they'd get left behind," he allows as we dart into and alley. He sets me down and pulls his clothes off, then shoves them into my hands to phase. I tie the bundle together with a strip from my dress and then climb on to the angry wolf. He shoots forward, weaving through alleys and side streets, following the dual scents of the vampire and my uncle. "Faster my love, faster,"I cry into his ear as we run.

Quickly the city falls behind us and I hear the rhythmic tempo of the other wolves as they run in the dying light. A flash of my old dream comes to me. Riding a russet wolf with the pack following. They could never keep up, my wolf was always the fleetest of foot. I direct my senses and draw my will, seeking out Charlie's spark. I can feel it in the distance, it's ebbing erratic and faltering. We weren't going to make it. I show Jake the direction and he relays it to the pack. The only answer is a choir of hair raising growls as the wolves push themselves to speeds they have never reached before. About a mile to our right, a caravan of cars race down the highway, keeping pace with the wolves. I know it's our family, I can feel it. I push my will out towards them, stopping only when my senses dance against my twins.

We're gaining on them. Less than a mile behind, when the wolves cry out in pain. Jacob's mind registers vampires. Many of them. And they are moving towards us, putting themselves between us and my uncle. I throw the thought at my sister. I feel her acknowledge it. The cars following us skid off of the road and start barreling across the desert in a V shape. Half are moving towards Charlie and Victoria. The others in our direction.

In under a minute the cars have reached us. I can hear the whine of their highly-tuned engines as they keep pace with us. Two minutes later, wolves and race cars barrel headlong into the waiting army of vampire newborns. The high pitched keening mixed with the sounds of twisting metal, grinding stone, and the vicious snarls of the wolves drown out even my own thoughts. I launch myself from Jacob's back, calling fire to one hand and lightning to the other. I hit the ground and skid across the ground, I feel my flesh being torn open. Good, I smirk, that'll get their attention.

I'm not wrong.

A large grouping of newborns turn to me. I don't give them a chance to react any further, blasting them with all of my fury. Lightning and flame light up the black around me, revealing that we were so desperately mistaken. At least fifty vampires are converging on us. I hurtle myself forward, laying waste to anything that crosses my path. I can see the other three witches, back to each other, surrounded by the enemy. Fire boils in my veins and I direct it around my family, a wall of blue flames shooting up around them. I will myself off the ground, somersaulting over the vampire legion, and into the ring of fire. My bare feet are slices open on the rock as I land, but I ignore the pain,"That wall won't last forever kids,"I inform them. We link hands and prepare our next assault while the vampires gather around us. The smell of fresh blood being spilled is overtaking them, causing the newborns to forget their orders. When I drop the wall, flames lash out in four directions, instantly incinerating the group around us. And then the wolves appear. We hastily climb onto their backs to continue our attacks.

It seems like hours we battle a neverending ocean of hungry vampires. I can feel my life force draining, my will is only limited by my life. My momentary distraction is all it takes for one of the red-eyed monsters to knock me from Jacob;s back. I grab her face, "Burst!" Her head explodes with a shower of sparks and burning flesh. Jake is too far away for me to reach so I start making my way towards Quil, who my sister is astride. I'm almost to them when a giant of a vampire literally throws Bella and Quil into one of the hordes. Their immediate screams make me dive headlong into the danger, concern for myself forgotten hours ago.

I make it to Quil, charring the nearest vamps. He's holding his own, but I can't see Bella. "Bella!" I cry out. No answers drifts over the sounds of battle. Quil nudges me onto his back and we create a path of destruction in search of my twin. I finally see her, nearly 50 yards away, sitting on the ground, someone in her arms. Charlie. "Quil, that way!" I order, showing him the way. He howls and springs over the group before us. I can hear the others return the call. "Bella!" I call again as we near. She doesn't look up. we're less than 15 yards away when a vampire springs upon her and they all fall from my view. Within seconds I can hear Bella's terrified shrieks of agony. "Bella!" Edward roars and launches himself the last few yards.

On the other side of the hill is a bloody massacre. Edward is holding a screaming Bella. The vampire is shredded amongst a lot of blood. Charlie's blood. His mutilated torso flops on the ground, venom from multiple bites searing through his ravaged form. His arms and legs are missing. I fall from Quil's back to the ground beside Charlie. I know its too late before I touch him. Even if the turning didn't kill him, there was no survival for what was left of my beloved uncle. As Edward screams to our family, I pick up Charlie's destroyed body and begin walking away. Burning ash floats in the air all around me as I march into the black desert, the only sound in my ears is the thudding of my heart and Charlie's wails of torture. Soon, I am running as fast as I can, holding the dying man tight against me, my pain driving me onward. I have to get him away from all of that. He deserves to die without the sounds of war ringing in his ears. Tears sting my face as I run and the skin of my feet is sliced to ribbons.

I find a suitable peak just as the sky begins to brighten. My body is on fire, but I push myself up the hill, Charlie's screams breaking the night around us. "Shh, shh, it's going to be alright," I coo in a soothing tone as I lay him on the red stone."I'm going to make you sleep now Charlie. You can be with Mom and Phil again. Tell them I love them please," I croak, hoarse from running and crying. I press my hands to his face and will his mind into oblivion. I catch images as he fades. Renee smiling at him as they talked about their wedding. Making love to her next to the river. Memories of Bella and I as we grew. Doctor's results. 99.9% probability DNA Compatibility. Isabella Swan-Charles Swan. 99.9% probability DNA Compatibility. Carlie Swan-Charles Swan. Watching us get off of the plane that fateful day. Bella's accident. Waking up in a hotel room full of teenagers. Jacob phasing. Alice's sparkle. The way Bella and Edward looked at one another. The way Jacob and I looked to each other. Fear. Acceptance. Pride. Time is absent as the images slow and eventually fade to simply a feeling of peace and love.

Then his sparks blinks out. I will the fire out of me and into Charlie's still form. I don't even feel the flames as they lick my skin. I accept my death passively. Death is easy. Peaceful. I begin to dream of the life I should have had. My Jacob playing in the yard with two small children, twins, out in the snow. He looks up and smiles at me, our son and daughter in his arms. He calls my name. "I love you Jacob," is the last thought I have.

"Carlie stay with me!" I hear Jake's voice yell from far away, "Oh god, there's so much blood!" There is a buzzing in the background. Fucking alarm clock. "Jake, shut the alarm off, it's Saturday," I mumble. "Keep Bella back Edward, I don't care how strong she is, there's no way she'd be able to handle this." Carlisle? What's he doing here? "Carlisle?" I rasp. "Carlie honey, can you open your eyes for me?" he asks. I search until I find my eyes, willing them to open. At the same time, the sounds of the world become clear as do my memories. "Charlie," I whimper. My eyes roam blindly for a few seconds and settle on two forms. One near me, my Jacob. The other on the other side of a glass wall. Bella. There's something wrong with her though. Her skin is flawless like marble. And her eyes boring into mine. Bright red.

**Bet you didn't see that coming ;-)**

**YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S TIME FOR!!!!!!**

**AUTHOR DOES STUPID HUMAN TRICKS FOR REVIEWS!!!**


	24. Part 24 The Truth Fucking Hurts

**Nope, still haven't managed to brainwash SM into signing the rights to Twilight over. ****DOn't**** any any other copyrighted material either. I know. I 'm pathetic.**

**A/N--Link for Bella's Engagement ring now on my profile!!**

**Smashing Pumpkins-The Beginning is the End is the Beginning**

Send a heartbeat to The void that cries through you Relive the pictures that have come to pass For now we stand alone The world is lost and blown And we are flesh and blood disintegrate With no more to hate

Is it bright where you are And Have the people changed Does it make you happy you're so strange And in your darkest hour I hold secrets flame We can watch the world devoured in its pain

Delivered from the blast The last of a line of lasts The pale princess of a palace cracked And now the kingdom comes Crashing down undone And I am a master of a nothing place Of recoil and grace

Is it bright where you are And Have the people changed Does it make you happy you're so strange And in your darkest hour I hold secrets flame We can watch the world devoured in its pain

Time has stopped before us The sky cannot ignore us No one can separate us For we are all that is left The echo bounces off me The shadow lost beside me There's no more need to pretend Cause now I can begin again

Is it bright where you are And Have the people changed Does it make you happy you're so strange And in your darkest hour I hold secrets flame We can watch the world devoured in its hate Strange Strange Strange (strange)  
(strange)

**Part 24**

**The Truth Fucking Hurts.**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

We had raced like hell was on our heels. Edward's face was smooth, but his eyes pulsed with fury. I could barely make out a pale form gliding along the horizon. Carlie. I can feel her mind reaching out to me through the darkness. The vampires are close. Lots of them. Her thoughts slam into me. The army is creating a barrier to keep us from Charlie. "Edward, we have to get to them now. There's an army and the wolves can't get to Charlie on their own," I explain. He nods and cuts the wheel to the left, pulling us off of the highway and onto the parched earth. The cars behind us don't hesitate to follow. They understand why we don't explain. We're racing the clock to save Charlie.

In no time, our vehicles are running parallel with the wolves. I can see Carlie nestled between Jake's shoulders, a look of anger and anticipation on her pale face. Her dress has been torn. She looks like a wild fairy with her hair rippling behind her in the wind. "Hold on," Edward mutters and stomps the gas pedal to the floor. I look forward just in time to see the front of the car collide with a wall of red eyed vampires. The seat belt that prevents me from being ejected digs into my collarbone painfully. I unhook it and shove the door open, ice forming on my hands. The first one dives at me and I drive an ice spike through his head and toss him into the mass of bodies. I catch two more in the chest, ice spreading until they shatter. I can hear Carlie calling the lightning and fire to her. I take her cue, pulling the electricity to my left hand while continuing my assault with my right. I switch gears and turn the ice into water, soaking many of my opponents before letting the lightning burn them to a crisp. I can see Allen and Mischa and cut a path to them. We stand with our backs to one another, burning, hacking, and blasting. One gets too close, nearly biting me. I feel a slash across my forearm as I jolt him. He falls away as I watch a ring of blue flames sprout around us.

My arm is beginning to burn, but I don't have time to let it stop me. Carlie comes from over the wall, covered in blood and ash. "That wall won't last forever kids" she smirks as she takes her place as the fourth corner and we redirect the wall, forcing it out in all directions, obliterating numerous vampires in the 20 yard ring of devestation we'd just created.

The wolves make their way to us, indicating us to climb on. I settle myself onto Quil's back and we take off, burning any remains we find and finishing off others too damaged to fight. My body is on fire as we work, my brain feels like it's boiling in my skull. I force myself to keep going, my family needed me. Suddenly I see a figure on top of a hill. Charlie. As Quil lunges forward, I let myself fall away. I crash into the ground and agony tears through me. I lock my jaws to keep from screaming and push myself to my feet, towards Charlie and the figure now holding him. I hear Charlie's screams as the vampire rends my uncle limb from limb. "Explode," I will as I near them. The vampire shrieks and shatters. I catch Charlie's broken body as we fall. "Oh Charlie," I gasp," I'm so sorry." His eyes roll towards my face, but can't seem to focus, he groans,"Ta-take c-ca-re -o-of-of y-y-ou-ur-sis-s-sis--ter--I'm--s-s-sor-r-" he begins screaming incoherently. Out of nowhere, another vampire slams into us, sending us careening over the drop off behind us. I feel the bite as I try to shield Charlie from the fall. That's when my screaming begins.

"Bella!" Edward's velvet voice is full of pain and horror "Oh God Alice, her neck!". How can I hear him over my own screaming? I try to move, but my body won't respond, the fire is too hot. I hear other voices, but I can't make my eyes open to see them. Then it occurs to me. I'd been bitten by a vampire. It does no good to scream.

**Black and red.**

The only colors that I see while I burn in an ocean of pain. At some point, the more dull burning in my limbs flares up, then begins to recede to my chest. I now feel a gentle pressure on my hand. "Bella, can you hear me? Angel?" I can't respond. If I do, I'll scream. He sounds so frightened. "Why is she so quiet now?" he asks someone,"The venom had to have repaired her neck." "She'll be fine Edward, it's almost over." Carlisle's voice. Of course he would be here, his family needed him. The burning takes me again, but I learn that I can think around it, just enough to keep my jaws locked against the screams that want to come out. "Have they found her and Charlie yet?" Edward inquires. Movement near me. "No," Carlisle qualifies, "Jacob seems certain of her location though. They will be found soon Edward," his father reassures hum. Carlie. Flashes of desert. Carlie hovering over our uncle. His limbs regenerating. Carlie falling over on him. Charlie sitting up and looking at her still form. He picks her up and runs across the brown and red landscape. My heart speeds up its rhythm as I watch him run at an impossible speed. There is something wrong with his face. Sad. Hollow. Like a ghost. Oh no.

The fire in my chest intensifies a thousandfold, but begins to recede from my limbs. "Carlisle!" Edward's words saturated with confusion and fear. Then he sighs and relaxes. "Almost over angel," he whispers. Charlie lays my sister down behind a building. He lays a kiss on her forehead, gazes at her, sorrow on his face. Then he looks right at me. Empty red eyes. Hollow monster. 'Take care of your sister. I'm sorry' he says to me. The pounding of my heart staggers in its rhythm. He looks down at Carlie one last time, a sad smile on his face. He turns and runs down the alley, then disappears into the crowd. I look back down at my twin. She's covered in dried blood. Something breaks inside of me. I realize that I can't feel her. My twin, my other half. My heart sputters once more and falls silent.

"Carlie," I whisper.

"Bella?" I hear him, but his voice is different. More beautiful than I thought possible. Something squeezes my hand. I open my eyes as I react. As soon as I think, I'm standing. White room. Fire in my throat. Push it away. Glass walls. Fourteen fluorescent lights. Floor is off level by 1 degree. Edward stands beside the stainless steel table, hand extended. Carlisle frozen at the door, analyzing me. Smell of silk. I look to its source. Me. Blue dress. My throat is itching and burning. I push it away again. Spaghetti straps. Edward is beautiful. Air tastes like chemicals. Carlisle practically glows under the lights. Weight on my left hand. I look down. My ring. I lift my hand and get lost in the tiny details of my engagement ring. "Angel?" the bronze haired beauty calls to me as he begins to move with slow, deliberate movements in my direction. I freeze and focus on him. I register Carlisle is mimicking Edward's pace, but keeping a safe distance. Edward's scent washes over me. It tastes sweeter than my mind remembers. He slowly raises his hand and gently lays his hand on my cheek. My eyes close instinctively at his touch and the burning in my throat flares momentarily. I force myself to focus on the deity before me and open my eyes. "You're so beautiful Bella, " he tells me, his voice lyrical and pregnant with emotion. In an instant, my arms are around him, my lips seeking his. My aim has definitely improved, I think smugly, as our mouths meet and immediately move in unison. He is gentle at first, but then gives himself over to the kiss in a way I've never felt him respond before.

I hear someone clear their throat and suddenly remember that we are not alone. I unwillingly pull myself from our kiss and look to Carlisle. "Carlie?" I whisper. his lips turn down slightly and he shakes his head. *_I'm sorry Bella. But we will find her and Charlie._* his mind answers. "I'm so-" he begins. "I heard you Carlisle," I respond, part of my mind marvelling at my new voice,"but we won't find Charlie. Not now." Edward and Carlisle look at me, stunned. *_What?_* both of their minds ask. "I said that I heard you. And that we won't be able to find Charlie." Edward moves in front of me, taking my hands. *_Can y__ou__ here me now Bella?_* I smile and nod. *_Of course I can Edward. Haven't I always been able to when I concentrate_?* His eyes widen as he smiles and nods *_Yes y__ou__ have love. I admit that I'd hoped to hear yours so easily as well now._* I shake my head *_No y__ou__ don't. I'd get boring __awfuly__ fast. Besides, I can teach y__ou__ how to control yours now that I can understand how a vampire mind works._* Carlisle chuckles *_Wonderful. Two mind readers now. How ironic._* I look at him and smile *_Yes, __Carlisle__, but can Edward answer y__ou__ with his mind yet?_* Carlisle looks at me, shocked. *_Bella?_* I nod, still smiling. *_Wow! What a truly extraordinary gift y__ou__ have inherited daugh__ter__. At least my son has met his match._* A bright smile flows onto Carlisle's face as he thinks it. "Don't worry Carlisle," I laugh, "I know how to block it already and can teach Edward how to do so as well. It's a simple matter of flipping a few mental switches." I shrug, "Easy." Edward cocks his head to the side,"Ready to hunt?" The thirst flares and I nod enthusiastically. "Keep her away from humans Edward," Carlisle warns. Edward nods and tosses me onto his back, "I'm not going to let her go until we're far away Dad." And we take off running.

I soon discover that the smell of humans makes my throat burn more, but their overall scent is slightly repulsive to me. Individuals smell good, but not all mixed together. By the time I catch the scent of animal prey, I'm grateful for my natural aversion. It means I can be around humans sooner and I can find my sister. Edward, satiated for now, watches me hunt and feed, an amused look on his face. I've take down two to Edward's three. I'm on my third when I find myself watching him watching me. Desire wells up in me. I drop my drained kill and saunter towards him; I can see his tongue dart over his red-stained lips as I approach.

**I want him.**

**I need him.**

**Now.**

I reach out to him as I near and grab his shirt, ripping the buttons as I pull it open with a single goal driving my newborn mind. My lips and tongue explore the bare flesh of his torso. His heady scent invades every part of my mind. He trembles beneath my touch."Bella," he whispers, need overtaking his surprise. I kiss my way to his lips and wrap my arms around his neck. He grinds himself against me, a growl rumbling in his chest. My answering growl makes him shiver and then we're on the ground, his hands pulling up my skirt over my hips. I reach between us and yank at his waistband until it reveals what I yearn for. He tears my underwear away as I lower myself over him. The tip slides across my folds until it finds what it seeks. A strangled cry escapes me as he sinks to the hilt inside of me. Desperate need is all-consuming as I rock and buck on him. My nails scrape across the muscled planes of his chest, he tightens his grip on me and begins thrusting back against me with a ferocity I never thought thin straps of my dress fall from my shoulders, revealing my breasts. Instantly, one of his hands moves from my hip to squeeze them, tormenting my aching nipples.

We don't speak words, only moans and cries of pleasure accompanied by the sounds of our bodies moving together break the silence. My climaxes crash over me again and again, making my need for him grow that much more. I know when he gets close, his rhythm changes and his growls become moans. I drape my body over his and greedily claim his lips. His hands grasp my shoulders and he slams our bodies together as his orgasm rips through him. Another climax takes me as I feel his seed spill into me. He's finally claimed me, mind, body, and soul. He holds me to him, passionately kissing me. I try to pour all of my love, my devotion into the kiss. I want him to feel how much I love him.

Minutes, maybe hours later, he finally wrenches his lips from mine to say one word. "Carlie." The horror of recent events fills me, causing a dry sob to explode from my chest. He sits up, shifting us so that he cradles me like a child. With one hand he adjusts his jeans and my dress, then gets to his feet. He lays a kiss on my forehead and begins the trek back to our broken family.

Luckily clouds span horizon to horizon as we travel through the city. He is moving us through a side street when a familiar scent hits me. It makes venom flood my mouth and my throat burn but it is easy to override. It is easy to do so because the scent belongs to my twin. Edward can taste it in the air and cuts right, jumping over several chain-link fences as we grow closer to the source. Dried blood at the mouth of the alley. I squirm out his arms and drop to the pavement to inspect it. Her blood. It makes me dizzy for a second, I shake my head to clear it. A burning scent that makes me wrinkle my nose. Edward notices my expression, "Werewolf," he explains. "Jake, to be exact. That means they've found her. Not long ago, a few minutes at most. Let's go." He takes my hand and we race back to the hotel.

We find them easily. Jacob is laying her down on the table I had occupied only hours earlier. Her wounds have broken open and red flows freely out of them. I'm glad I can't smell it. "Carlie stay with me!" Jake is yelling, "Oh god, there's so much blood!" Carlisle is trying to stem the flow of the blood. I'm moving before I realize it. "Carlie!" I sob. Edward is behind me, wrapping his arms around me, holding me to him. "Let me go!" I cry. Carlisle glances at us through the glass, and upon seeing my struggles to get free, his frown deepens. "Keep Bella back Edward," he instructs,"I don't care how strong she is, there's no way she'd be able to handle this." Carlie gasps, trying to speak, then her chocolate eyes open and look at me. I see the horror fill her, overwhelm her as she comprehends my new body. Hurt and shame overtake my vampire brain.

I hear Jasper's southern drawl, "Get her out of here Edward! This is too much for her, get her upstairs! Go!" Edward picks me up and bolts to the elevators. Coughing sobs make my body convulse against him as we travel through the unfamiliar hotel and into a new set of rooms. Esme is beside us as soon as we enter, "Oh, little Bella, I'm sorry sweetheart," she murmurs as she strokes my hair. Edward lowers us onto a couch, Esme following. Her sobs are only slightly more controlled than my own.

After a while, my sobbing trails off into slight hitches in my breath. I look around the room, at my family. Esme is silent, her hand in mine. She offers the hint of a sad, apologetic smile as I look upon her. She's apologizing for not being able to save Charlie, for my unexpected turning, for the damage done to my sister both from the battle and resurrecting Charlie. Sorry that she can't comfort me more. I squeeze her hand, a comforting gesture. She leans over and presses her lips to my cheek. With that tiny gesture, the vampires in the room thaw out and begin making preparations. The wolves help with the packing. Mischa and Allen come and sit at Edward's feet, pressing their backs against my leg that has fallen from his lap. They are not afraid of me. It seems like everyone has temporarily forgotten that blood was the main staple of my diet now. The thought makes me giggle for some reason. I get confused glances from everyone and I shake my head. I get thoughts of *_insane vampire in the making_* from Mischa and Allen, causing my giggling to increase. Edward looks down at me *_What's so funny love?_* "I must be the most unvampirelike vampire in the world because everyone is still treating me like I'm human," I elaborate,"From holding me while I cry to sitting here on the floor touching me so that I know you're close." A tired chuckle erupts around the room. "Yeah, we'll see how vampiric you are when you need to walk across a room sis, Ow!"Emmett guffaws, then yelps when Rosalie smacks the back of his head.

Alice blurs to a stop in front of us, vibrating with excitement,"She's going to be okay! Carlisle just finished!" she bursts out. She pulls me to my feet and starts jumping up and down,"Carlie's okay! Carlie's okay!" she sings over and over. I can't help myself and I'm soon jumping with her, chanting the same words. Edward laugh aloud, "I'm going to inquire as to when Bella will be able to visit her sister." He gets to his feet with the grace of a cat, kisses me soundly, and gives Alice a look,"Keep and eye on her. I won't be gone long." Alice rolls her eyes,"Alright you stupid overprotective fool, I'll keep and eye on her. Besides, she really needs to get something decent on." He ogles me with a grin,"I don't know....I kind of like the wild huntress look she's got going on Alice." She smacks him and pushes him towards the door,"I knew you would, but we wouldn't want her to scare her twin when she goes to visit, would we?" He musses her hair and exits the suite, whispering "I love you" as he disappears.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

Carlisle keeps telling me that I'm not allowed to move. I keep telling him that I have to, Bella needs me. I know a large part of my paranoia is the drugs pumping through the IV and into my body, but it doesn't stop the fact that I can remember seeing those red eyes and Edward carrying her off when she started trying to climb through the glass. "Carlie, I am more sorry than you will ever know, but it is impossible for you to see Bella at this moment," Carlisle is explaining for the tenth time in as many minutes. I sigh and roll my eyes, it's one of the few motions that doesn't cause pain."Carlisle, she won't hurt me, I know it. She could never hurt me," I whine. Jake, who has been pacing a hole in the floor stops and looks at me,"We're not worried about Bella hurting you Carlie, please don't think that. Everyone knows that if there was a vampire you were safe around, it would be your sister. Please let Carlisle work honey, I beg you." I huff and watch Carlisle as he finishes mummifying my feet in white gauze, "Is that really necessary Carlisle?" He nods,"Yes it is. You did extensive damage to nearly every piece of connective tissue in your feet and now they must be completely immobilized in order to minimize the permanent damage dear." I groan,"Can I at least have a cup of coffee and a cigarette while I wait for my sarcophagus to arrive?"

For once, no one argues with me. Carlisle checks the IV bags once more, then plants a kiss in my hair before leaving with a promise to have food brought. Jake disappears for a few minutes, returning with a pack of my brand of smokes, a pack of matches, and a large Styrofoam cup with a lid. "For you madame," he says in a terrible french accent as he hands over the loot. "I'm kind of surprised that I'm suddenly allowed to smoke in here," I comment as Jake drags over on overstuffed armchair. "You had oxygen on until about an hour ago Nessie," Jake says as he drops down into the chair and props his feet on the side of the hospital bed. Yeah, neat things about fancy hotels; they usually have mini-hospitals in them somewhere. Good thing, I would have hated to be anyone trying to explain why I looked like week old roadkill when I was brought into a regular hospital.

Jake is snoring before I finish my cigarette so I find the television remote and channel surf while I drink my coffee. That gets dull pretty quick. 600 fucking channels and not a damn thing I want to watch is on. I snort and turn the babblebox off. I go to take a drink and realize I'm out. Shit. I gently twist myself enough to toss the cup in the trash, wincing as I do so. Dropping my head back to the pillow, I try to untangle my memories of the past week. Lots of fire, screaming, and pain. Tears spring to my eyes when I remember my uncle and how I'd failed to save him. I had tried to pierce the black veil and instead nearly killed myself. Jake said it had taken them nearly three days to find me. Somehow, he said, I had managed to find my way back on foot. I don't remember any of it. I remember letting my life force slip away as I tried to pull Charlie back from the abyss and not being strong enough.

There's a soft tap on the door. Jake twitches but doesn't wake. "Come in," I whisper. Edward steps in, a tiny, apologetic smile on his face and a cup of coffee in his hand. "Irish creme," he announces as I take the cup. He sits in the chair on the other side of my bed and also puts his feet up on the mattress. I notice that he is barefoot. Ggrrr."How's it going little sister?" I shrug, then wince, "Not too bad considering I'm still conscious and breathing. At least that's what your father keeps telling me," I retort, sinking back down into the bed. Edward snickers softly, "Well, considering you were MIA for almost three days, I must admit I'm surprised as well. I never thought that either of the Swan twins could make it more than two fucking hours without the universe trying to kill them." I give him the number one sign, making him chuckle harder."Fuck you Cullen," I grumble. "Didn't we already have that conversation Nessie?" he asks. I ignore him for a few minutes until he laughs and exclaims, "Hey Carlie, look what I can do!" and proceeds to wiggle his toes. "Nice to see you getting your laughs in at my expense Cullen," I mutter and focus on taking a sip of coffee without burning the shit out of myself. He leans forward and gently pats my leg,"Things will get better Carlie. Sometimes you just have to look at the irony of things and let yourself laugh. If we didn't laugh at life every now and then, we would cry ourselves to death."

At his joking words, my little bubble of numbness bursts and the emptiness left by the severing of the bond between my twin and I becomes too much. Bursting into tears, I hiss at him,"That's so fucking easy for you to say Edward, you haven't had to lose the only blood relations you have left in the world to horridly painful deaths. I seen Bella when I was brought in, she absolutely fucking loathes me now that she's one of you. She may never hurt me, but I seen the revulsion plain as day in those fucking neon red eyes of hers. I couldn't save anyone, in the end. I've been sitting here, pretending that it's all fine, but it's not. Nothing is fine anymore. I'm alone now." I drop my head into my hands and feel two sets of hands on me, one too warm and the other too cold. Neither match me. It makes the tears fall harder. The whisper platitudes and assurances, but they don't understand. As soon as Bella's heart stopped, my world changed forever. I was alone because my twin was irrevocably taken from me. We would never share another birthday, never complain about our age together. We could never look forward to being pregnant at the same time, complain about our teenage children and how fast the time goes by. I had never been alone.

They stopped talking. There was nothing they could say because what I had said was the truth.

Fact number 42: The Truth Fucking Hurts.

Yeah, no shit Sherlock.

It was on this bitter note that Carlisle conveniently appeared and asked Edward and Jacob to go so that I may rest. After glaring at them until they complied, he dutifully checked the IV's again, then informed me that he was giving me something to help me sleep. I argued that I wasn't going to take any pills. He held up a syringe, "Who said it needed to be pills Carlie?" Quickly my vision began to blur and I felt myself drifting off to Never-Never Land. As I slip further down I think of Fact number 1 : None of us get out alive.

Consciousness comes in the form of nagging aches, annoying whistling, and the smell of lilacs. For some reason these facts conjure the face of my favorite evil pixie. "Alice?" I croak as I open my eyes. "Good morning sunshine!" she sings as she dances around the room, arranging dozens of bouquets of flowers. I note that I am no longer being held hostage in the hospital ward. The room is familiar, but my head is too foggy to grasp why. "Where am I?" She gives a bunch of daisies a final fluff and bounces over to the bed,"We moved you Carlie. Private ambulance. We're home." Wow. "Why aren't I in my room?" I ask. She smiles, "Jake needed to sleep too, so I volunteered mine and Jasper's room until you decided to join us again. We have only been home about an hour actually. Jake just fell asleep about 5 minutes ago, you want me to go get him?" I nod, then sit up, "Where's Bella?" Alice peers out the window, "Hunting. She wanted to make sure there wasn't any temptation when she finally came to see you. She's actually really nervous because of what you told Edward about you thinking she hated you. Be right back." She gives me a peck on the cheek and floats out with a grace to make a ballerina cry.

The urge to throttle more information out of Alice actually makes my hands twitch while I wait on the arrival of my werewolf. I smother those feelings the best I can, but the ghost of them makes itself known when she pops back into the room in front of my Jacob, carrying a bag. "These are for you. When you're ready to get dressed, just yell," she commands and disappears before I can question her further.

Jacob crosses the room with five long strides, his hand out to take my own as he nears. "How are-" I lean forward and stop his words with a kiss. His free hand cups the back of my neck as he turns our heads and deepens the kiss. Soon, he is laying halfway on the bed, holding his eight on his elbows as he kisses me. My back arches off of the bed to make contact with his body. It hurts to bend this way, but in that span of time, I don't care. He seems to notice my distress, but instead of pulling away, he carefully rolls us to our sides and wraps his muscular arms around me in a gentle embrace. When we finally have to emerge for air, he manages to look a little sheepish. "Hey sweetheart," he chuckles,"I see you missed me too." I place my hands over his heart,"Bet your cute ass I did. I'm sorry about when I had my meltdown Jacob. It just hurt so much.." He brushes back strands of hair from my face, "No need to apologize honey. You have been through so much. I wouldn't have blamed you if you'd started blasting things to bits. That's what Bella did as soon as her and Edward got far enough out in the woods that humans wouldn't hear."

I stifle a small giggle, "Bitch Bella on a rampage, attacking unoffending trees and large wildlife. How many times has Edward had to save her from tripping over shit at vampire speed?" He grins and shakes his head,"If being turned has helped her at all, it's been in the agility section. Emmett hasn't gotten to laugh at a clumsy human in days. I think he's going into withdrawal, especially since Mischa and Allen went home to lay low for a few days. The parental units were pissed until Carlisle told them that Charlie had taken you girls shopping in Vegas and was killed in a car accident there. He said that we all took off to get you girls when we got the phone call. The whole town has been in mourning." He stops, seeing the pain flaring on my face. I lay my head against his chest and try to calm myself.

"Please, continue," I murmur after a few minutes. He sighs,"The funeral service is set, three days from now. Bella, my dad, and I have been working with everyone over the phone to get the arrangements finalized. Edward helps where he can, but he still makes Dad a little nervous and things have been hard enough so.." he shrugs,"um, everybodys cars that got totalled are currently being replaced so Edward has graciously been loaning out his car collection for us. I've been taking one of the motorcycles back and forth because it's easier to hide when I need to get off the road and phase in a rush." I nod,"Yeah, I don't think Edward would enjoy you furploding in one of his babies." He laughs, "Doesn't mean it wouldn't be funny."

The door opens just then and Bella walks in, carrying a tray heaped with food. Her smile is cautious, like she's trying to tell me she won't bite. "Evening Nessie," she says, her voice now containing the musicial undertone all vampires possess."I brought you dinner, I figured you would be starving after sleeping for so long." My heart jumps in my throat, fearing a disaster of Bella-like proportions as she glides across the room, but her steps never falter. When she arrives at the side of the bed, I can't help but be in awe. "Wow Bells, I think that's the first time I have ever seen you walk across a whole room and not trip on something," I tease. Her smile grows, "Nice, huh? I'm still getting used to it myself. I think Edward is having a harder time though, adjusting to not being in a constant state of preparation to save me from things like lint on the carpet and such." She sets the tray down after Jake and I sit up, "Eat you two. There's plenty where that came from. I think everyone in Forks has been sending food to Charlie's house. We are taking turns retrieving it now." She winks at Jake,"The upside is that we won't have to cook for hungry wolves for a few days." We all laugh at that. "Speaking of," Bella continues,"Seth is going to be here in the morning to look after Carlie so we can go finish the paperwork for the funeral home Jacob." "Seth? Leah's little brother?" Why would he be coming to babysit? Jake nods, guessing my unspoken question, "Seth phased while we were gone love. Sam was more than willing to look after him until we got back, but he really needs to be with us right now. He wants to help when and where he can." I push my food away and light a menthol, "But he's so young Jake! What if something goes wrong and I hurt myself or some shit?" Jake kisses my shoulder, "It's called a telephone Carlie. It's better that he stays here for now because he is so young. We can look after him better and guide him before he starts developing bad habits." I snort, "Like what? Shedding on the sofa or pissing on houseplants?" He shakes his head," No, I mean things like attacking any vampire he comes across before taking the time to determine who it is." My faces turns bright red, "Oh. Open mouth, insert foot moment. Sorry."

After a few minutes of awkward silence I rub my face and sigh,"Can I get out of bed now?" "Why?" Jake asks. "So I can go crawl in a hole and play dead for a while. At least until I stop feeling like such a jackass," I confess. Bella takes the tray off the bed and lays it on the end stand, "No time like the present sis," she laughs. I toss the blankets back over Jake and look at my feet. They are wrapped in a thin layer of gauze and have little ankle socks protecting them. "Here goes nothing," I jest and swing my legs off of the mattress. There is pain as soon as they touch the floor, causing me to hiss. Bella jumps to one side, Jake the other. I put up a hand,"I'm okay, just wasn't expecting it, that's all." They each take a hand and grasp an elbow as I force myself to my feet. Pins and needles stab all over, but I don't give in. I stretch my toes experimentally, then take a tentative step forward. I feel like I'm going to be sick. My body breaks into a sweat in an effort to overcome the pain. I stand there, willing it back while taking steady breaths. When the pain recedes, I take another step. This one hurts just as much, but I can tolerate it better. By the time I reach the bathroom door, I feel like I just ran a marathon on hot coals. But I have a triumphant smile on my lips. I can do this. I will do this . I have to.

Bella helps me with my human moments, then helps me dress after my shower. My feet are nearly numb, but that is just a side benefit. I finally got to see the damage. Under the wrapping, my feet were currently being held together by stitches and clear medical tape that is used after surgeries. Black and blue, they were currently doing their best to impersonate two large bruises that happened to be attached to my ankles. I draw my will in carefully and direct it to the wounds, *Mend* I push my will. The pain lessens from stabbing pains to dull throbbing within a few heartbeats. I can visibly watch the bruises fade by half as I watch. Unfortunately, that much healing so soon after my near death experience drains me. I slump against Bella, who is staring fixedly at my feet as well. I feel warmth spread over my feet once more. I look at Bella, who now has a tiny smile playing on her lips as she continues staring at my limbs. Within minutes, the bruising is gone. Bella quickly strips the bandages off and cuts the stitches with her nails. "There," she proudly announces, "All better." her red eyes meet mine," I wasn't sure I could do it before Nessie. I didn't think I would be able to because of being dead now and our magic is connected to life force. Something occurred to me when I was watching you. When I drink blood, I also drink life force, so it shouldn't be a problem to perform stronger magics as long as I stay fed." "I'll help where I can Bells" I vow as she and Jake help me downstairs to the living room.

Leah is laying on the floor, her feet in Alice's lap. Alice is currently painting her toenails a dark, shimmery violet. Jasper is playing Guitar hero with Edward. "Allen with you?" I ask Leah. "Yeah, he's in the kitchen scaring up some more Pepsi. His parents have cut off his supply, saying it makes him jumpy." I laugh as I am eased onto the couch,"If they think he's jumpy with it wait until they get a load out of him after 24 hours with too much blood in his caffeine stream." "I heard that wench," Allen growls as he jumps over the back of the couch and lands beside me. "Hey, I can't help it that I'm right Allen. If that makes you pissy, go take a Midol and get over it." I fire back jokingly. "You're lucky you are injured, or I'd show you pissy," he threatens with an evil grin.

By dawn, we have all settled in for what is going to be a very painful week. Bella and I talk about her transformation, my mad dash to save Charlie, but it becomes too much when we try to talk about our severed connection. She ends up holding me as we cry over our loss, my tears spilling enough for us both. Our minds may connect now, but it is superficial. Nothing like it was before her change. I eventually fall asleep in the arms of my undead twin, once again mourning the loss of so much more than our uncle.

**Okay Ladies and Gents, confession time. I know this was not my best Chap****ter**** and I apologize for that. I have had some heavy ****RL**** dropped on me and am distracted right now. Give a bitch a hand now. Tell me what yo****ur**** favorite part, chap****ter****, one liner, whatever has been so far. I'd really appreciate the input.**

**If you like my story, by all means, pimp it out. I'm an attention hound when it comes to my writing. The more reviews I get, the more I want to write.**** *_Hint hint*_**

**Once again, thanks to those who review, put my story in their faves, all that fun shit. Pass me on and see if you can get others hooked on the craziness that has literally taken over my life.**


	25. Part 25 More Changes

**You know I don't own anything copyrighted by anybody.**

**Foo Fighters- My Hero**

Too alarming now to talk about Take your pictures down and shake it out Truth or consequence, say it aloud Use that evidence, race it around

There goes my hero Watch him as he goes There goes my hero He's ordinary

Don't the best of them bleed it out While the rest of them peter out Truth or consequence, say it aloud Use that evidence, race it around

There goes my hero Watch him as he goes There goes my hero He's ordinary

kudos my hero leaving all the best You know my hero, the one that's on

There goes my hero Watch him as he goes There goes my hero He's ordinary

There goes my hero Watch him as he goes There goes my hero He's ordinary

**Part 25**

**More Changes**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

Charlie's "funeral" had become a grand event. The small funeral home had been unable to accommodate the number of mourners and so everything from the viewing to the memorial service the day of his interment was moved to the biggest church in Forks. I believe that every citizen of both Forks and the La push reservation came to pay respects. That was how a family of vampires, werewolves, and witches ended up sitting in the pews of a Methodist place of worship. My mind wouldn't let go of the ironies of that day. Charles Swan's devoted nieces, one still pale from 'blood loss' and the other still with various bandages and bruises, had stood by the closed casket and greeted all 4743 people who came during that three day stretch. My eyes were constantly irritated by the torture devices masquerading as colored contacts. People mingled and bantered, pretending they knew him inside and out. If I were still human, I probably would have vomited.

When Allen and Mischa had arrived, snide comments about witches and the occult circulated. I had to stifle a laugh when Mike Newton's mother had whispered into Jessica Stanley's mother's ear,"Gypsies, criminals, and devil worshippers' the lot of them. I don't understand how Chief Swan was ever able to bring himself to let those girls socialize with the likes of that family." Carlie vibrated with fury at my side. Edward was still as stone, hands clenched into fists as he glowered at them. Jake had actually let out a low growl when they walked passed him. Carlie broke first, walking up to them with a sickly sweet smile on her face. "Actually, I'd rather be friends with gypsies, criminals, and devil worshippers than a couple of old, bitter, dried up backbiting little whores such as yourselves. At least I have family that is loyal. Now if you don't shut the fuck up, you're going to discover really fucking fast the reason skanks like your daughter Jessica and her pal Lauren practically piss themselves when our names are mentioned. Got it?" They had gaped at her, which made things worse. "Clean the jizz out of your ears and answer me before I find something bigger than the baseball bats you need to satisfy those saggy pussies with and shove them up your asses." "You can't talk to us like that," Mrs. Newton had protested. My sister had gotten right in her face,"Did I look like I was asking your fucking permission? You'd better think real fucking carefully about the next things that come out of your mouth because if I don't like them, I am going to rip off your tits. I'll get away with it too. Temporary Insanity. A few months in a psych ward and I'm home free. I wouldn't mind going back if it meant I had shut you the fuck up for talking about my family like that. Am I understood?" They'd nodded rapidly and literally ran from Carlie.

I heard both of their vehicles had been stolen and torched by the side of the road that same night. None of the family would admit to doing the deed, but I didn't care, I laughed too hard over it. Could that only have been two nights ago?

The funeral had culminated in a trip to the cemetery and another round of 'I'm sorry's' and 'At least he didn't suffer's'. Vampires, werewolves, and a witch were the pallbearers of the casket of a man we didn't know. The charred corpse of a homeless man found in Seattle that vaguely resembled Charlie was in it. Hours ago that same body had been placed in the ground and the crowd had dissipated to gather once again at the church for the after burial feasting. I had only been able to contain myself for 26 minutes when the urge to leave had consumed me. No one tried to stop me when I had grabbed Edward's keys and walked out the door at a brisk human pace. Edward had only whispered, "Come home when you can."

I'd driven around aimlessly, only half-consciously making the decision to come back to this place. I had been surprised to see Carlie there, sitting with her back against the headstone. She was humming to herself and taking long pull off of a bottle. Alcohol. Wild Turkey. Charlie's brand of whiskey. I had sat down beside her in the drizzle that was the staple of weather in this town. Her shoes had been abandoned at some point, her scarred feet covered in mud. I didn't talk. She, on the other hand, ranted about everything. We knew this entire process was an empty gesture in the end. A creature that used to be our uncle was out there and eventually we would have to track it down and put it out of its (our) misery. We knew that we would have to finish high school if we didn't want the authorities looking at us too closely. We knew a thousand other things and they didn't mean a goddamn thing right now.

At some point, my now inebriated sister got up and stormed off. I didn't worry, I could smell Jake was near. I continued to sit, lost in thought. In the failing light I see a figure walking through the rows, occasionally stopping and kneeling beside markers. I can't make out their features because of the deep hood, but I can tell it is a man. He stops a few graves away from me and kneels to peer at the marker. "Rough day miss?" he asks. I should ignore him, but i recognize that he is only trying to be polite. "Yes sir, my sister and I had to bury our uncle today. He was our last blood relative in the world." He nods sagely,"Yeah, I suspect that would make anyone have a bad day. Shouldn't you be finding more suitable surroundings about now miss? At least drier ones?" I nod, "Yeah, but the rain suits my mood so well that I thought it would be a good time to wallow in self pity." "Ah, the self pity card," he chuckles, "Be careful with that one. You use it too often and pretty soon you're laying with these poor bastards wondering where it all went. Yes, even the strongest break eventually, but what will define you that is how you pick yourself up and move on afterwards." I nod but don't answer, staring into the falling rain. Then white and the scent of lily hits me. "A trifle to help brighten your day some small bit milady," he says. I take it,"Thank you Mr..?" He chuckles,"Mr. M will do just fine Bella. Now your fiance is worried about you, don't you think it's time to go?" "Yes, thanks again..Wait, how?" I look up and I am alone except for the white lily. I search the area around me but his form never comes back into view. I taste the air for his scent but find none. How odd.

"Bella?" Edward's soft tone makes my body relax instantly. I turn and peer at his slow saunter up the hill, hands buried in his jacket pockets,"Are you ready to go home angel?" he asks. I bob my head, "Definitely, I don't think I want to see another human outside of my family for a month. They're honestly beginning to scare me." He chuckles and pulls a pale hand out of his pocket to caress my cheek as he reaches me. "They scare me too," he confesses, "Especially this one I used to know. Little thing, all long strawberry scented hair and big, innocent eyes the color of milk chocolate. She could do shit to me with a look that a succubi would kill to have." I kiss his palm and wrap his arm around me as we begin our journey back to the car,"What ever happened to her?" He gives me that perfect crooked smile, "Well, I stalked her until she agreed to marry me. It was either marriage or I ate her. I'm so glad she opted for the first one, now I get her as my bride and I get to eat her." I smack his arm,"You are such a pervert sometimes." He opens the door of the Mercedes, "Isn't that just part of my boyish charm angel?" I shake my head and get into the car.

He held my hand on the drive home, his thumb tracing small circles on my skin. He informed me that Alice and Jasper were staying at his parents home for the next few days, so the four of us would have the house to ourselves. His phone rings from the console I I check the ID. "Jake." He nods. I open the phone and put it to his ear, which he proceeds to hold against his shoulder, "Yeah Jake?" 'Carlie and I are going to the store, she needs to get some things. We'll be back soon.' I hear Jacob explain. "That's fine Jacob, take your time," Edwards replies in a gentle tone then hangs up, "I guess we have a few hours to kill now." I shrug a shoulder,"The house needs cleaned anyways and I had thought about cooking up at least a few days of meals then freezing them for when the pack meets Carlie and Jacob won't have to be distracted with feeding them for a while." He watches the road in silence for a while, then turns to me and smiles,"I'll help you, if you don't mind the company?" I bit my lip,"Um, I don't mind, but are you sure you can handle the smell of so much human food?" He nods and winks,"I've had plenty of practice at this point love." He taps his temple with a finger,"Food Network and photographic memory, remember? The smell will be easy to deal with in comparison to that fucking annoying Rachel Ray and her corn porn." "Corn porn?" He gives me the evil grin,"Look it up on YouTube, you'll laugh your ass off." I shrug it off and settle for laying my head against his shoulder as he speeds through the greenery.

In no time we're stopping in front of our house instead of parking in the dry garage. He knows that I'm not completely comfortable in the garage though I don't immediately panic like my sister. He is always so understanding with me, like I am still so breakable even though we are technically the same species now. Lovable foul-mouthed savior. He is around the car and opening my door before I finish the thought. "My love," he extends his hand. I gladly accept it, propelling myself up to his lips. He is more than willing, his free hand fisting into my hair as we come together. His cherub lips break from mine and trail down, leaving an icy-hot trail of desire in their wake. I feel his hands play across my bottom before he grabs them and pulls me to him so tight that I moan at the instant friction our hips create. The delicious heat, which had receded to a tolerable level but never went out, blazed through me. "Bella," his husky voice pleaded. I lock my arms around his neck, "Hurry," I moan in a breathless whisper. He needs no further encouragement. In a flash I am in his arms and we're sprinting towards our room.

As soon as the door slammed behind us, the sounds of shredding fabric filled the space. He didn't bother putting me down, we just ripped around each other as he found our goal. Without breaking our kiss, we tumble onto the bed. He lands on top of me, his hands immediately cupping my breasts. He curls his tongue around mine once more, then diverts his attentions to my erect peaks. He latches onto the left one first and sucks my nipple between his teeth. A whimper boils out of me as his teeth scrape across my aching flesh and he traps my right nipple between his finger and thumb, rolling and twisting it enough to amplify the delicious ache in me. The moisture between my legs has begun to flow freely, I can tell the moment the scent of my arousal hits him. His nostrils flare and his topaz eyes darken slightly before closing. I run my fingers through his hair, causing him to hum around my nipple and bite down. I gasp and arch myself against him. He chuckles and gathers my wrists in one had, then pulls my arms over my head. His other arm snakes around my waist, sealing my body against his as he moves from one nipple to the other.

I decide to change the pace. I wrench my hands free and fist them into his hair, then pull him from his erotic endeavor. He gives me a questioning look, but smiles and lets me turns us over so that he is lying flat on the bed. I kiss my way down his marvelous body, memorizing him with my lips and tongue. I leave biting kisses my my descent, making him moan my name over and over, like it was a chant. I reach the V at his waist and run my tongue over it, a glistening trail left in it's wake. When I finally am hovering over his twitching member, I lick my lips in anticipation and my breath washes over it. His hips jump and an open-mouthed moan tumbles out of him. Then I dive down on him, my teeth gently grazing the tip as he slides into my mouth. His hands force themselves into my hair, but he doesn't force me to move. I tilt my head back enough to look at him. Edward's eyes are half-closed, dark with lust. For the first time I see him biting his venom-sheened lower lip. When our eye meet, his widen for a moment before his head falls back, a gasping moan escaping his lips. I use one hand to grasp what I cannot fit into my mouth and move the other to cup his testicles, massaging them as I move up and down on his shaft. Every time I graze him with my teeth, his hips twitch and another lust filled sounds erupts from him. His whimpered words become intelligible as I increase the speed and I have an epiphany. I am making Edward lose control. I revel in this new found power, teasing and biting him until he is panting my name and begging to be inside of me. Every time he grows close to release, I pull back in my attentions, forcing him to calm just enough to prolong this wonderful agony.

Suddenly I draw back, his organ slipping out of my mouth with a pop. His head snaps up, but I just smirk at him and glide my tongue over his sack before drawing one walnut orb into my hungry mouth. His moan turns into a pleading whimper as I suck, lick, and roll it around in my mouth. he is thrusting wildly into the air, his shaft begging for attention. I comply by holding my hand up and letting him brush against my palm. He cries out this time,"Oh god, Bella, that feels so good. I want you so fucking badly right now. Please, please Bella, I need to be inside of you." His voice is raspy and hoarse from his very vocal signs of ecstasy. He tries to force himself harder against my hand, his need for more friction eveident in his pleas. I push back more firmly for a few thrusts, then softens the touch once more. He releases my hair as he writhes and reaches to grasp the headboard. I take the opportunity to draw his member back into my mouth. He bucks hard into my mouth with a quivering moan and I hear the wood and iron of the headboard collapse in his grip. I glance up, he hasn't noticed what he's done. I watch his muscles ripple as he writhes under my attentions and I feel more moisture drip down my thighs. My own need intensifies as I gaze at him and I find myself moaning in rhythm to his thrusts. I sit up and crawl up his body. His head comes up,"I swear to whatever god you want Bella that if you let me inside of you now, I will literally worship the fucking ground you walk on forever," he whimpers, his golden orbs smoldering with need. I situate myself with agonizing slowness, reeling over the sounds of his ragged whispered cries. Then I feel the head brush against my center. He pushes his pelvis up, but I lock my legs against him so only the tip enters my dripping folds, "Beg me Edward," my own voice low and heavily laced with my own unfulfilled desire.

His turn to arch his back to me, "Please, please, oh god please Bella." I lean down and flick his nipple with my tongue,"Louder Edward," I urge, churning my hips in slow circles, furthering his torment. He throws his head back and roars in frustration. Another chunk of the headboard rips loose. He grabs my hips and I freeze, then shake my head,"Uh-uh Edward, you have to say it louder first or I'll stop," I threaten. He digs his fingers into my skin once and then returns them to the ruined frame," Please Bella," he chokes out in a louder voice when I shift my hips slightly. I bite his hard peak,"Louder!" I snarl. A sob bursts from him,"PLEASE!" he screams. I slam my body down on his and immediately thunder into a frantic pace. He's babbling incoherently as I hammer into him again and again. My climax explodes, but it's not enough this time. I push harder, deeper, until my cries echo Edward's. I grip his upturned arms for leverage, rolling, bucking, revelling in my ecstasy. I hear a creaking sound, then the braces of the bed fail, sending us and the mattress crashing to the floor. It has no effect on our focus. It is now a race to finish. Neither want to lose and care very little about waiting for the other at this point. I can feel the most powerful orgasm slam into me and I sink my teeth into Edward's neck, biting down hard. His hands fly off the headboard and around me, pinning me to his neck as his climax takes him.

Once his iron grip relaxes, I sit up and admire my godlike fiance. His eyes are closed, but he's grinning like a fiend. I trace the muscles of his torso with my finger tips, caught up in his perfect physique. "What are you thinking?" He playfully inquires. I kiss the tip of his nose, then his trembling, swollen lips, "How much I love you." I whisper, my lips still touching his. His lashes move slightly, I can see butterscotch peeking from beneath them, "As I love thee," he vows. Ooh, he knows I love it when he starts tossing out those archaic words. With deft fingers he brushes the fallen tendrils of hair from my eyes as he whispers, "O my love, my wife! Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty!" He claims my lips once more before laying my head against his chest. I let out a breathless chuckle, "You really are the perfect monster for me, my love." He buries his face in my hair and hums, a happy, contented sound. I just smile against him, wondering if he has realized that he is already calling me his wife.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"Why are we doing this?" I whine as Jake hangs up his cell, "I don't want to go anywhere." His eyes shift from the road to my face briefly, "I'm not going to fight with you about this Carlie. I know you've been having trouble with everything that has went on the past few days and just wanted to get you away from it for a little while. Is that so bad?" I sigh in defeat,"No, I'm sorry Jake. I'm just not myself right now." Of course half a pint of whiskey will do that to a girl. He slides his fingers through mine and folds our hands together,"I know that honey, why in the hell else would I find you in a cemetery drinking like a fish?" Ah, my werewolf in sync with me again. I lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes, "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time Jacob. I know it was stupid so don't start bitching at me again." He snorts, "The right thing to do? Yes, every time something goes badly we should all just go get hammered, it will solve all our problems." I yank my hand from his and curl up in the seat,"Fuck you Jake. You have no fucking clue what's going on inside of me." After a few minutes I hear his voice, softer now,"I'd have an idea if you would just talk to me Carlie. I'm just trying to help and you won't let me. Please just stop pushing me away. Tell me what to do and I'll do it in a heartbeat. It hurts, seeing you in so much pain, wanting to help you but not knowing how."

I'm lost as soon as the words escape him. "Jake..," my brain scrambles for the right words, "This is going to sound really fucked up..." His eyes focus on me,"What? Please Carlie, let me help you," his tone mournful and pleading. I reach into my bag and pull out my pack and lighter, deliberately slow as I light my cigarette. I bite the inside of my cheek, hoping my next words don't make me sound completely mental, "Jake, this isn't just about what I did to Charlie. It hurts much deeper than that, "I steel myself for his response, "It hurts so much more because I feel like my sister is dead. Really dead, not just vampirized. That person walking around might be Bella, but that's not my twin. My twin died, I can feel it. An empty ache in my soul Jacob. I keep trying to get over it, telling myself that I just need to adjust. I try to be close to her, but I just can't. What's wrong with me?"

Jake hits the blinker and turns onto the road leading to the reservation, "I don't think there is anything wrong with you Carlie. Your sister really did die, in the most literal way. Her body died. And her mind evolved into something other than human. Her wavelength changed, so to speak. Your minds used to operate on an identical frequency because you were identical twins. You never knew what it was like to connect to her like a regular person would because your minds were always touching. Now you are no longer connected because she's a vamp and you're still a human witch. That's just what I think though," he adds quickly after noting my horrified expression. I smooth my face out and take a deep breath, "That is the most logical and well thought explanation I have ever heard Jacob. Just because it shocked the shit out of me doesn't mean it's not true." I lean over and kiss his russet cheek, "Thank you. It helped a lot love." He gives a tentative smile and pulls me back against his side. I give myself over, glad to be huddled against his warmth. My body had discovered it was soaking wet and freezing soon after we had started this trip.

I'm dozing lightly when I fell the car slow down, so I lift my head and look at him questioningly. "My dad isn't going to be around the house for a few days, he's staying with Harry and Sue because he knew that you'd need me more, "he explains as we pull into his driveway. "and I thought it would be a good idea to get you away from all of the bullshit for a while." He gets out and comes around to open my door, "Unless you want to wait for me to get in the house so you can climb in my window again for old times sake?" he teases. I roll my eyes and exit the vehicle.

He reaches down and takes my hand as we walk across the yard. I peer at his face and notice a faint touch of embarrassment on his there. He doesn't like me seeing his humble existence, I can tell. Even with the improvements we have made to his father's house in he past months, he still has trouble accepting that I don't mind one bit that he wasn't rolling in money. "Love you," I say on an impulse, needing him to understand that I could care less about his less than wealthy lifestyle. His red-brown face brightens into that warm, rich smile that I love to see,"Love you more," he beams, joy radiating from every fiber of his being.

He opens the door for me, acting the perfect gentleman. I give him a chaste kiss and enter the living room. The place looks so different that the first time I seen it. Each room has had a new coat of paint, little renovations made, and all of the windows replaced. New curtains hang in the windows, I smile because I had been the one that purchased them and hung them up. A new television is surrounded by the living room set him and I had picked out a few weeks ago. "I didn't think you were going to buy any of it," I comment, nodding my head in the direction of the new furniture. He shrugs as he starts raiding the fridge,"Me and Embry broke the other one wrestling and dad was pissed, so it wasn't like I had a choice in the end." He stands up, fingers drumming on the refrigerator door and a thoughtful look on his face,"Fridge is damn near empty. We're going to have to go shopping for dad today, you mind?" I sit down at the kitchen table,"Not at all. Not really in the mood to go home any time soon today dear."

Memories of the days events resurface and I feel myself slump in the seat. He kneels down by me and gathers my hands in his own,"Carlie look at me sweetheart," he purrs lovingly. I raise my eyes to meet his, even they are brimming with love. "It's okay to be upset and confused about all of this," he presses a too warm hand to my cheek,"No one expects you to take all of this with a grain of salt. You have been through so much in the past six months and you've handled yourself like a pro. And that's some of the problem honey, you bottle it all up and pretend everything is okay until something triggers you, then you explode. It's not done you any good Carlie. At some point something's going to break and it's going to be you. That thought terrifies me," he lifts my hands and kisses the scars on my wrists,"because I don't want to lose you." I pry one of my hands loose and slide it through his silky hair,"Jake, you are not going to lose me. I might be prone to stupid shit, but I know what would happen if I did that and I'm not going to be responsible for your death too. You mean more to me than anything and I won't jeopardize your life because I get a whim to be an idiot." He lays his head in my lap as I stroke his hair, a low rumbling emanating from him. "Without you, there is no reason to live," he whispers so low that I'm not sure if I was meant to hear it.

Jake finally stands, a grin on his features once more,"I want to show you what else I bought." He pulls me through the house to his modest bedroom and opens the door. Inside, a queen sized bed nearly engulfs the entire space. "My feet don't hang off of it if I sleep diagonally," he chuckles and throws himself onto the new chocolate comforter. He moves into an exaggerated sensual pose. "Would you care to join me?" he mock purrs. I double over with laughter, "You look like one of those guys from a 70's porno Jake, stop it!" I joke. He rolls over onto his stomach, folds his hands under his chin and starts swinging his feet in the air,"What? You don't want me? Aren't I sschexy?" I push on him until he rolls onto his back and then straddle him,"Don't you ever do that again Jacob William Black or I will shave you!" He puts his hands up and with a look of horror, starts yelling, "Nnnoooo! Don't shave me! I'm so scared of the 115lb girl!" I poke his chest,"Hey! That's a 115lb witch who can turn your furry ass into a newt buster!" He begins laughing uncontrollably, tossing me off of him as he rolls to side side. "You are such a dick sometimes Jake," I snarl and smack him upside the head, causing him to laugh harder when I cradle my now injured hand to my chest. I glower down at him, "Aren't you even worried about my hand?" He wipes tears of mirth from his eyes, "You should have known not to hit me Nessie."

I storm through the house to the kitchen, seeking ice for my hand. "Honey, wait!" Jake calls after me, still laughing, as he jumps up to follow me. I give him the middle finger and open the freezer, smacking him in the face in the process. "Serves you right," I taunt, wrapping the ice into a dishrag and putting it on my hand. I close the freezer to see him holding his nose and decide to be increulous. "Ice?" I ask as I offer my wrapped bundle. "Har har Carlie," he grumbles and retrieves some paper towels to clean the blood up. I move to the couch and flop down, "Good thing you heal fast wolf." He sticks his tongue out at me,"You are such a brat. I am seriously contemplating spanking you." I give him a look, "And how do you know I won't like it Jacob?" He tosses the paper towels in the trash and dives at me, knocking me back onto the couch with a big Indian landing on me. He pins my hands over the arm, "Because I know you Carlie," he purrs, "You prefer things like this, " and runs a hand down my side, over my hip, and rubs the outside of my thigh once before hitching my leg around his hip. He then leans down and lays flitting little kisses across my neck and collarbone, coaxing a gasp out of me. "See? I know what you like so don't bluff if you can't back it up Carlie Elizabeth." He releases my arms and hops to his feet, a devious grin on his face, "Ready to go shopping?" I groan and push myself upright, "You are cruel Jake," I whine. He winks at me, "So are you, now let's go." He pulls me to my feet, "At least you aren't that drunk sweetheart. I'd have a hell of a lot more fun at your expense if you were." I throw a kick at his leg, which he neatly dodges "Kiss my ass Jake." He snickers as we walk out onto the porch,"Promises, promises." He makes a quick call to my sister and Edward as we leave the rez, informing him of our destination.

Jake has learned well from the vampires. The speedometer doesn't drop below 90mph the entire ride to Wal-Mart. "Wal-Mart Jake?" I ask as he pulls the Challenger into a parking space. He shrugs, "Yeah. That way we're not driving all over hell's creation to get stuff we need." I roll my eyes and open the door, "Great, field trip to fucking Wally World with the werewolf who decided today was a good day to be a dick." He walks around the car and takes my hand, "Only the best for the drunken witch my dear, " he replies sarcastically.

Going to Wal-Mart with a 15 year old hyperactive werewolf should be filed under 'Stupid Shit I'll Never Do Again', especially when you have a headache from drinking whiskey and your hand is throbbing from smacking the aforementioned hyper werewolf. To make things worse is when he disappears under the guise of looking for bandannas and comes back with a huge grin but no bandannas. Then deal with the fact that he wears this ornery grin all through the shopping trip. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I finally ask as we're loading the trunk up with our purchases. "Wait until we're in the car," he evades. I snort, but play his game. Once in the car, I get a few Tylenol out of my bag and swallow them with my Red Bull. I sneak a look over at my boyfriend to discover that his humorous mood has transitioned into nervousness. "What's up love?" An uncertain smile tugs at the corners of his mouth, "I bought you something, but I don't want to upset you." He reaches into his jean pocket and comes out with a ring box. "It's not an engagement ring, so don't panic," he defends as he sets the black box on my knee.

I try to keep my hands from shaking as I pick up the box. I gently lift the lid to reveal a white gold ring. It's band of tiny diamonds curves above and below a small round diamond. "It's beautiful Jake," I marvel and hold the box out to him,"Please put it on." He gently tugs the ring from its resting place and gives me a questioning look, "Which hand would you like it on?" He's giving me a chance to define what we are right now. I stick out my left hand and his face lights up into a full smile. His hands tremble slightly as he slides it on my finger. Then he raises my hand to his lips, "I promise to love you forever Carlie. This token is only a small representation of the love I have for you." I lean forward, expectant, and he doesn't fail me. He slides his hand to the back of my neck and lays a tender kiss upon my lips. My lips hunger for more and I dart my tongue out to get his attention. His lips twitch with a light smile as he complies.

Our kiss is so deep that the security guard has to use his flashlight on the window to get our attention. We jump apart, blushing, as the man tells us to move along. Jake starts the car and squeals the tires as we drive off. I put in a cd and light a cigarette. "So, maybe we should stay at your house tonight and cook out on the grill, we are the only food eaters left in the house, after all,"I offer as he navigates the car through evening traffic. He takes my left hand in his, rubbing its new addition, "Sounds good to me. Just the two of us and no one to overhear every little things we say." I laugh, "My thoughts exactly." I bite my lip, thinking about what I want to ask next. He notices,"What's up? You're chewing right into your labret honey." He lifts our joined hands and pulls m lip from between my teeth."Spit it out Carlie," he commands. I focus on the bumper sticker of the truck in front of us, "Do you think I could stay with you for a few days Jake? I really don't want to go back to the house just yet. It's too weird now, being the only human."

**Okay, it's that time again!!!! Writer will beg for reviews because she's pathetic like that!  
If you like my story, tell your friends!! I'm an attention hound!!!!!**

**Carlie's promise ring link will be on my profile ASAP!!!!!!!!**


	26. Part 26 Seize the day

**You know I don't own anything copyrighted by anybody.**

**Kidneythieves****- Arsenal**

naive little pieces of what they tried to teach her quiet and protected slightly anorexic

(She Waits)  
she's a time bomb, with her vibe on she's gonna use it and surprise them she's a time bomb, with her vibe on they'll never know where she got her weapon.

they really don't believe her she keeps it all a secret found the Golden Muses doesn't need to prove it

(She Waits)  
she's a time bomb, with her vibe on she's gonna use it and surprise them she's a time bomb, with her vibe on they'll never know where she got her weapon.

naive little pieces she thought that they could see her but soon the Desert Pigs will know she's holding in an arsenal.

(She Waits)  
she's a time bomb, with her vibe on she's gonna use it and surprise them she's a time bomb, with her vibe on they'll never know where she got her weapon.

She Waits.

**Part 26**

**Carpe****diem****quam**** minimum ****credula****postero**

**or**

** Seize the day and place no trust in tomorrow**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

He lifts our joined hands and pulls my lip from between my teeth."Spit it out Carlie," he commands. I focus on the bumper sticker of the truck in front of us, "Do you think I could stay with you for a few days Jake? I really don't want to go back to the house just yet. It's too weird now, being the only human."

He searches my face for a moment. "Is it really that bad?" he finally asks. Tears spring forth again as I nod, "Can you imagine walking around your own house and seeing your twin sister as a walking corpse every day Jake? I mean, my mind keeps screaming at me that it's Bella, but my heart tells me that isn't possible because she's dead. I need some time away from her to get things worked out. I promise I won't be a burden." He touches my face with the back of his hand,"Carlie, you could never be a burden to me. I'll call dad when we get back and if he has a problem with it, we'll work something else out." I lean into his touch, its warmth more comforting than anything else in the world,"Thanks love." "Sure, sure," he winks and switches lanes again.

When we get back to Jake's, I put away the groceries while he walks outside to call Billy. He is not pleased when he returns. He just stomps into the kitchen and throws himself into one of the chairs. "Dad is deciding to be difficult honey," he grumbles, "He suggested for you to find someplace more appropriate than your boyfriends house to mull things over at." I put the lid back on the sauce I was stirring and put my arms around his shoulders, "I knew it was a long shot Jake, don't be mad at your dad. Everyone kind of forgets you're real age sometimes. He's just trying to raise you right I guess." "If he wanted to do that, he would teach me to not turn away a person who actually needs our help," he scoffs. I move around until I can slide into his lap,"Jacob, I'll be okay. I'll get a motel room or something. It's my fault for bringing this up in the first place, I can deal with the consequences of it." He rubs my back and touches his forehead to mine, "Well, we are going to have to think of something soon because he's decided to stay home tonight after all." I lean back until I can catch his eyes, "Oh no Jake, not we. You still have a home here and up at the other place. I'm not dragging you down with me." It doesn't matter how much I want to shoot your dad in the face right now, I'm not going to be part of the destruction of one more familial relationship.

He scowls at me,"Don't start this shit Carlie. You shouldn't be going through this alone dammit. I'm just trying ot help you." I get to my feet and rub my face in frustration,"Jake, I'm not going to come between you and your dad! After everything that's happened you expect me to stand by and let you abandon your dad because I'm too much of a coward to be alone while I think this shit out?"; He grabs me by my hips and halts my pacing, "Nessie, no one said that you're a coward. And I'm not abandoning my dad. He knows what being imprinted entails. He'll just have to deal with it." I exhale noisily and shake my head, "No Jake, not like this. Billy needs you more than I do right now as it is. Charlie was one of his best friends. You know I'll be safe for now," I plant a kiss on his forehead, "So I'm going to finish the spaghetti and then I'm going to go stay at a motel so you and your dad can spend some time together." He gets to his feet and wraps his arms around me, "You have absolutely no sense of self preservation, do you?" I chuckle, "Nope, but we wouldn't be like this if I did."

I didn't stick around for what was no doubt going to be an awkward moment between father and son. I finished dinner and, after Jake forcibly shoved a container of spaghetti and garlic bread in my hands, I let him drive me to a motel that was close by. It was actually a kind of resort, but he was afraid to let me be too far away with no transportation. After dropping me off, he insisted on going up to the house and getting some of my things while I settled.

The place was nice, near the Quillayute River. Covered porch, grill, king sized bed. Hell, the suite even had a kitchen. It looked more like an apartment to me than a hotel room, for which I was glad. I was still exploring when Jacob returned, two suitcases in hand. "No one noticed me," he smirked, "they were a bit ....occupied." He stows my luggage in the bedroom and lets out a low whistle. "What?" I inquire, following the direction of the sound. He's standing at the foot of the large bed, "What I wouldn't give to have room for a bed like that," he admits. I chuckle, "Maybe once I find my own place I'll buy a California king size just for you to sleep in." He lifts and eyebrow, "Your own place huh?" I finger the piping on the duvet, "Yeah. I've been wandering around this room thinking about what it would be like, having a place where I don't have to deal with roommates who can hear every little thing I do and not having to be embarrassed for actually having to cook my food before eating it." He moves behind me and pulls me to him, "I kind of like the idea," he purrs and presses is lips into the hollow beneath my ear. I elbow him, "You would wolf boy. Does that mean you're going to run away from home and live with me?" I ask conspiratorially. He looks like the Cheshire cat at that thought, "You know, if I got to wake up next to a dark maned, chocolate eyed goddess every morning, I'd definitely consider it." I plaster a look of outrage on my face, "Are you cheating on me Jacob?" He startles, then growls, "You know better than to even think that." I pull away and cross my arms, "Oh, sure, the whole imprint compulsion thing. All that means is you have to love me. You didn't get a choice in the matter. Don't think that doesn't bother me sometimes."; Pain flashes across his features, "Carlie, if that's all this was, what was all of that before I became a creature from a horror story?"

I push him back until he falls onto the bed. He looks confused until I crawl up beside him and lay my head on his chest. His arms automatically encircle me as I settle into his warmth. "You have to stop doubting everything good in your life Carlie, "he mumbles as he nuzzles my hair, "I loved you before I started turning into a hairy monster and I love you now. I'm not going to promise that things won't get bumpy, but I can promise that I will always be there for you whether I'm 15 or 500." "I know, I love you too Jake. I'm sorry, I told you I was fucked up," I confess.

Suddenly there's a knock on the door and Jake sits us up, a mischievous grin on his face. "What did you do?" I accuse. He stands, pulling me up after him, "I called in backup." Jake proceeds to drag me back through the suite, not stopping until he throws open the door to reveal the Goth Twins. "We brought movies, junk food, a shitload of Pepsi and Code Red, a few sets of clothes and the random virgin sacrifice," Mischa announces as she struts in the door. Allen follows, proclaiming his armful of stuff, "And I have cds, a couple of flash drives of music and midget porn, my laptop, Jake's brain, and maybe the corpse of some guy named Wilridge in case we need more snacks. We'd kidnapped him from a writing convention and forgot about him until now. Might as well make him useful again." I give a look, "Why did you kidnap a writer?" Mischa laughs, "I wanted him to finish a story he'd started writing on the Internet called 'Angel Lies' and he wasn't getting it done fast enough." I pick up a menthol and light it, "Impatient much Misch?" She shrugs, "I like what I like," as if that was the only explanation she needed.

They dump their things on the floor and turn to go back out. Allen stops, "We've got more shit in the car. Oh, and Leah will be here soon. She's bringing Seth because he hasn't gotten a chance to hang out with everyone. Don't freak out either. He might be 14 but he looks a hell of a lot older now. He's a sweet kid too." Mischa rubs her hands together and chuckles evilly, "Oh goody! Someone new to corrupt!" I can't help but laugh. Mischa and I haven't gotten a chance to hang out with Seth since his change, but I remember Jake telling me that Seth still reminds him of a happy puppy, more so now that he can actually wag his tail and beg.

I help unload the car, mostly air mattresses, blankets, and other mundane things. Jake gives me a long goodbye kiss before heading home. Allen jumps in the shower while Mischa shuffles through movies, looking for her favorite zombie flick. I make my way out onto the porch and take up residence in a rocking chair, cradling my Code Red to my chest as I watch the magnificence of nature all around. Soon, Leah's white Buick rumbles up and parks beside Allen's Supra. Leah's short bob pops out of the passenger side, curses flowing out of her mouth in a way that would make Edward proud. "Dammit Seth, I told you to obey the fucking speed limit! You'll be lucky if I let you drive when you're 150!" She slams the door and goes around to the trunk. Allen's head appears in the doorway, "Did I just hear the love of my life?" He searches and bolts out the door as soon as he finds her. She jumps into his arms and gives him such a kiss even I blush. "Oh man Leah! Do you have to do that when I'm around?" Seth whines as he gets out of the car. Damn! They weren't kidding when they said he doesn't look anything like 14. He could easily pass for 17 or 18 now. He spots me and waves, "Hey Nessie! How's...." his voice trails off and he stares at something off to my right. "Geez, what's the fucking racket about?" Mischa exclaims as she comes outside. I look at her, then back to Seth, repeating a few times. "What?" she asks as she hunkers over, protecting the flame as she lights her smoke.

"Oh shit," I hear Allen blurt out. That seems to bring Seth back to reality. He bounds up onto the deck and gives Mischa and I hugs,"I've missed you so much. I mean, I know I saw you earlier, but you know what I mean." I peer around him as he babbles at Mischa to catch a glimpse of Leah and Allen in animated conversation. "Excuse me," I mutter as I step around the stammering werewolf and make my way to the couple. "When did he imprint on her?" I hiss, grabbing their arms. Leah drops her head, "Today, when he saw her at the funeral. He hasn't shut up since. Reminds me of Ron Weasely when he was under that love potion." I snicker, "You mean how you were when you imprinted on Allen?" She growls at me, "Watch it witch or I'll turn your man into a chew toy." I give her a hug, "Don't cross me wolf girl or I'll turn your man into a newt." The three of us burst out laughing, causing Seth and Mischa to startle.

We take the new pair inside and explain what's in store for them over dinner. Afterwards, we all finally surrender and Mischa puts in her zombie flick. Allen and Leah lay on the couch, pretending to watch the movie. Seth and Mischa excitedly whisper on the floor. Halfway through the movie I tire of being the third wheel and announce that I'm going to soak in the tub.

Once in the spacious bath, I light the little candles and line them around the large tub. I turn on the faucets and sift through the assorted scented oils and bath salts until I find one that is acceptable, then pour it in the steaming water. I pin my hair and and strip off the dress clothes I'd been wearing since 5 am, then test the temperature. Perfect. I let my tired body slide under the aromatic foam and into bliss. The hot water begins relaxing my tense muscles as soon as it makes contact. I put my iPod and hit Random. 'Tremble for My Beloved' form Collective Soul. Good song. Makes me glad that Bella had bought the soundtrack to that vampire romance movie she loved so much. Bella. I've yet to call her and it's pushing 9:30 pm now. I sigh and reach for my cell phone. This isn't going to be pleasant. I dial slowly, contemplating how I am going to say things honestly without causing a fight that I just don't have the heart for. "Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero, " I mumble to myself as the phone begins to ring.

**"Hello?" Bella answers.**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

"Carlie's been gone all day Edward, " I argue, "Why shouldn't I start worrying?" I pull out the freash-baked bread and slam the oven door closed. He pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger as he leans against the archway, "Because Bella, she's with Jake. If we can't trust her safety to her fucking imprint, who can we trust her with?" I throw the pan onto the counter, "I trust her with Jake, but this isn't like her, not anymore. We get one phone call saying that they were going to the store for a few things and then nothing for hours! What if one of James and Victoria's goons managed to find us? What if Charlie found his way back here? I might be dead but she's still my little sister!" I pound my fists off the countertop in frustration, cracking the tiles."Dammit," I groan. Edward puts his arms around me, "Calm down angel. Her and Jake probably just went to his house for some alone time. Can't say that I blame them either. Being a human with a werewolf boyfriend who lives in a house full of vampires isn't exactly what I'd call prudent planning for a long and healthy existence." I roll my eyes, "Aren't you the funny guy. If she doesn't call by 10 pm I'm going to look for her. That's final." He chuckles, "Why haven't you called her? You could save yourself all of this fucking worry if you'd just stop second-guessing yourself."

Before I can answer, Emmett's head appears in the door leading to the deck, "If you two are going to fight, go down by the lake so we can tape it, " he suggests with a maniacal grin. Edward picks up the knife I'd used to chop up chicken with and flips it at Emmett, "Out asswipe, I'm not in the mood for your shit," he snarls. Emmett dodges the knife and his grin grows, "Ooh Eddie, little sister not giving you any?" he asks, making gyrating motions with his hips. Edward springs, launching himself and his bear of a brother out the door and over the railing of the porch. I hear them crash to the ground below and the wrestling begin.

I turn back to making dinner. I don't eat anymore, but cooking still seems to soothe me when my nerves are frazzled. Edward and I had went and picked up a large deep freezer this afternoon just to store the food for all of the breathing inclined that I'd been cooking. I hear Edward yell, "Jasper, you fucking traitor! You're scrawny blond ass is getting it next motherfucker!" Jasper laughs at him, "Wow Edward, are you sure Rose wasn't right when she pegged you for gay?" I hear Edward's feral growling and it sends shivers up my spine. Then the foundation shakes. Rosalie's threat comes next, "If you three baboons don't get the hell away from the house, I'm going to let the other girls kick your collective asses for breaking their house and then I'm going to strip the engines out of the damn vehicles and make you idiots walk!" I hear Emmett's pleading, "Honey, please don't do that, I just got the Jeep put back together from when Quil and Embry disassembled her!" I laugh at the memory. Emmett had been cheating at another video game and the boys decided to get even with him. They had completely torn down the Jeep and hid the pieces all over our property. He'd spent days recovering the parts to reconstruct his mechanical baby. "Don't cross me then Emmett Cullen, " she warns. I notice the sounds move farther from the house after that.

I'm finishing the buffalo chicken dip up that Allen had asked me to make when my cell phone starts ringing. 'Arsenal' from the Kidneythieves is the ringtone. Carlie. I press the button, "Hello?" "Hey," she answers, voice sounding tired. "Where have you been Nessie?" I demand. She has no idea how much I've worried. "You have no idea how worried I've been." She clears her throat, "Yeah, sorry about that. I had to go to the store and shit, then me and Jake got talking about things that I've had on my mind Bells. Didn't think I'd worry you since I was with Jake." I take an unnecessary breath before answering. "After seeing you drinking at the cemetery and the way you were ranting, I didn't think you would want to be gone for so long, that's all, " I defend, "I figured you would want to stick close to home after everything today. When will you be home then?" A long pause. "That's some of the reason I called Bella, "she almost whispers, "I'm going to be staying somewhere else for a few days, maybe longer. I've got a lot of shit to figure out and I can't do it there." I feel my chest tighten, "What stuff Carlie? What's going on? Where are you?" Please oh please don't let it be Charlie. Please don't let her be hurt. Please don't let her have gone and eloped. A thousand other frigthening things race through my vampire mind while I await her answer. Finally she lets out a loud sigh, "I'm not coming home Bella because I'm having trouble....adjusting to your new life. I'm not used to this, you feel all wrong to me. I can't stand not being connected to you and seeing you walking around. It feels like I'm watching a corpse Bells, not my twin. It hurts so fucking much....I need to be away from you for a while and hopefully I can get over this."

My body is frozen as my mind flies. She is staying away because of....me? Oh, you idiot! Of course it would feel that way to her! She was the dependant twin! How could you be so stupid?! So blind?! Her bipolar moods, her hot and cold affections. Her outbursts. I'd chalked it all up to mourning for Charlie and her being drained of power. The hurt and shame hit me like a train. "You're staying away because of me?" I ask, knowing the answer, but still unable to accept it. There is a sobbing sound, "I'm sorry Bella." and the phone disconnects. I stand, staring at the phone until someone pries it from my grasp and hugs me. "We'll work this out Bella, she just needs time,"Alice cooes as she holds me. I cling to her as the tearless sobs wrack my form. Soon, I feel other arms wrapping around us. Our entire vampire family surrounds us, holding tight as I cry for my human twin.

"What do I do?" I finally ask to no one in particular. Edward answers with a simple, "We give her what she has asked for. Time. We love her too much to do anything else."

"I still need to know where she is," I decide and everyone moves so I can retrieve my cell phone. "Alice, can you see her well enough to find her?" I ask as I begin dialing Jacob's number. "I can try Bella," she answers honestly, "But please don't be upset if I can't finder her okay?" I nod as the phone begins to ring. "Hello?" his voice is groggy and thick with sleep. "Hi Jake, it's Bella, "I try to keep my voice calm, " I spoke to Carlie and have agreed to give her what she needs, the problem is she didn't give me any clue of her whereabouts. If I knew where she was, I know I would worry about her less. Jake, if you value my sanity, please just tell me where she is. I swear that I won't bother her. I need to know she is safe." I hear him groan and stretch, then rifle through some papers; he's stalling. "Um, Bella, do you think this is the best course of action? I mean calling and asking me instead of her?" he finally asks. I pick at the cracked tile on the counter,"She told me that she needs time. She was very upset and hung up before I could ask where she was. I didn't want to betray her trust by calling her so soon and demanding to know where she is staying." He sighs loudly, "I'm not giving you specifics even though you'll figure it out on your own. She's staying at a motel close to the rez Bells. Allen, Mischa, Leah, and Seth are with her. She is safe, I promise, I wouldn't be away from her right now if I didn't believe that. Good enough?" "Yeah Jake, thanks." I reply, lifting the white flag of surrender, "and thank you once again for taking care of Carlie when I couldn't." "Sure, sure," he mumbles, "Anything else Bella?" "Nothing that can't wait Jake, go back to sleep. Night." I hang up and go looking for Alice.

I hear Edward at the piano and go to check there first. I'm not disappointed. The little pixie is perched on the bench next to her brother, the tell tale far away look in her eyes that comes with the visions. Edward offers a gentle smile as I kneel in front of our adopted sister, "Alice, it's okay, Jake says she is close but the Goth Twins, Seth and Leah are with her. You won't see her." I wait as she reins in her sight. Her trademark evil grin spreads across her face as she announces, "I know exactly where she is." Edward spins on the bench and hugs her,"How Alice? You still have trouble with Bella and she's a damn vampire." She giggles, "I managed to get a few peeks on Mischa. Seth imprinted on her today!" She begins rambling about what she seen, and I slowly make my way towards the laptop. I Google hotels near us, then narrow it down to those close to the reservation. My hand is suddenly smacked away from the keyboard by an annoyed Alice, "Leave her be Bella. It will only make things worse if you go behind her back and track her every move. I've seen it." She pulls me from the chair, "Go play with Edward or something or I'm going to take you shopping. I swear I'll do it Bella, don't push me." I wrap my arms around her shoulders,"I know you won't tell me where she is unless it's an emergency and I can accept that, but don't ever think that I am going to stop worrying about her." She affectionately pats my cheek, "I know Bella. You are still so human, I envy that sometimes. I'll do my best to keep an eye on her. Promise." I kiss her cheek, "Thanks sis." She laughs, "That's what I do!"

Edward comes in as Alice bounces off, "She's so damn smug," he chuckles as his arms snake around my waist. "I'm going up to see Carlisle and Esme for a little while. Need to work some shit out with them. I'll be back in a few hours. Rose and Emmett are going hunting and wanted to know if you wanted to join them?" I shake my head, "No, I'll wait for you if Alice and Jasper don't go. I love Em and Rose, but things get a little out of hand when the hunting is done and I'm not in the mood to see Emmett's bare ass bouncing up and down in the moonlight." He grasps my chin and brushes his thumb against my bottom lip. His molten topaz eyes drawing me in, "I seem to remember a certain newborn getting out of hand after hunting," he murmurs in a husky velvet tone. If I could've blushed, I would have. That is if he hadn't chosen that moment to push me up against the fridge and assault me with his lips. In one fluid motion, he pulls my legs up around him and grinds our centers together as our mouths battle. He moves from my lips, licking and sucking his way down my neck. His name escapes my mouth in a breathless moan.....

SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!

Four paintballs slam into Edward's back simultaneously. Emmett, Rose, Jasper, and Alice all stand in the door holding paintball guns and evil grins. "It was the only way to get your attention, "Jasper qualifies with an ornery smirk on his face. I grab Edward before he pounces on Jas and destroys the kitchen, "Edward! Don't you have to go see Carlisle?" I ask, trying to distract him. He glares at Jasper a moment before nodding and turning to face me,"I'll be back soon angel. If Ali and Jas are willing to wait, we'll go hunting together when I get back." I give him a chaste kiss, "That's fine. Now go before I make you drag me some place more private." He mock growls at me, "Don't tempt me like that love," plants one last kiss on my waiting lips, and goes down to the garage. "Let me help clean up, "Alice offers as I hear Edward's Ducati roar down the driveway.

We end up cleaning the rest of the house with Jasper's assistance as we wait for Edward's return. Alice won't talk about what is being discussed at Cullen Headquarters so I opt to talk about something that has been on my mind. "Ali, what would you think of us moving in with your parents so Carlie can stay here instead of a motel?" Alice and Jasper exchange a grin and she nods,"You and Edward think so much alike sometimes, it's creepy!" "Huh?" She rolls her eyes, "That's what Edward went up to the house to discuss with Carlisle and Esme silly. He's really upset that Carlie feels she can't live in her own home. I don't know if you have noticed, but he loves her like a sister..no, he loves me like a sister..more like a surrogate dad." I give her a look, "Why?" Jasper chuckles, "That's easy Bella. He is in love with you and you have always been so maternal with Carlie that his feelings developed the same way. Sure, he can be a jerk, but have you noticed that he's even nicer to her than he is to you sometimes?" I nod. "That's because you have always worried about her like you were her mother instead of her older twin. He treats her like I imagine a new step-father would treat a nearly grown step-child. He wants to be her friend, but is also protective of her." "Oh," I mumble as the truth of the matter dawns on me.

My newest revelation is interrupted by a motorcycle speeding towards the house. "Oh good, I'm starving!" Alice chirps, then tags Jasper, "Tag! You're it!" and speeds out the door. Jasper leers at me with a grin and I dive out the nearest window, hitting the ground at full speed. "Bella?!" Edward yells as I run past. "Jasper's It Edward!" I call back over my shoulder. I hear and "Oh shit!" as Edward barely dodges Jasper's tag and comes tearing across the field full tilt. The game continues up into the mountains, where we find Carlisle and Esme hunting with Em and Rose.

It's an unspoken rule not to tag anyone who is feeding, but all others are fair game. Rose tags Emmett once, sending him crashing into a spruce bigger around than him. It comes crashing down, nearly hitting Jasper on the head. Jasper growls and lifts up the broken trunk and heaves it back at his sibling, who is doubled over laughing. Em manages to dodge it, but Carlisle and Edward catch it in the chest, driving them back with the unexpected hit. Alice grabs my hand, pulling me in the opposite direction as Emmett looks to Jasper, "Dude! Run!" he cries before slinging Rose over his shoulder and bolting over the hill. I can hear Edward and Carlisle's matching growl, "It's on now." I pick Alice up and use all of my newborn strength to put as much distance between us and the coming carnage as quickly as possible.

Soon Alice and I reach the house, Jasper and Esme on our heels. We get situated and the evil pixie perches on top of the piano, searching her visions, and gives us a play by play of the events going on up the hill. Esme wraps her arm around me and pulls me close, "Jasper has went back to join in the fun" she mock-whispers while the vampire on the piano is describing how Carlisle and Edward are using Emmett as a tennis ball, using trees as rackets. "They're what?!" Esme cries as she jumps to her feet, "That is entirely too much!" She jumps out the open window and rushes to save her son. "Should we go and help?" I ask Alice. She checks the future and shakes her head, "No, you end up being knocked into the river by Emmett and Edward retaliates by ripping his arm off and beating him with it. Best just to stay put. Go make your cookies that you got from that angsty love story you told me about, it will be safer."

I bake cookies until dawn, which is about the time the boys finally make it home. Edward slinks into the kitchen, looking more roughed up than usual. "What happened?" I nervously ask. He sits down at the table and light a cigarette, "Emmett finally got even with me for kicking his ass these past couple of months." I set the spatula down and sit in his lap, "What did he do to you Edward?" Edward refuses to meet my eyes as he mumbles, "The fucker threw me off of a cliff." I hear Emmet's guffaw's "Oh my god Bella! You should have seen it! Eddie bounced the whole way down!" "Fuck you Em!" Edward calls over my shoulder as he wraps his free arm around me. "Did you get everything worked out with Carlisle?" I inquire. He gives me a gentle kiss, "Yes love. We'll be moving what we want to take with us today. The sun will be out so we'll be stuck inside anyways. I spoke to Carlie on the way home about it. Carlisle already left to meet her to go over a few details. Don't worry, we'll all make sure Carlie is taken care of." I lay my forehead against his, "I know, it's just hard, leaving her alone like this." "I know angel, but this will help both of you, in the end. I know that adjusting to your new life has been difficult, but you've been doing so well. You act like you are decades rather than weeks old. With as fast as your new mind is, you were able to adapt independently of your twin infinitely faster than she has been able to adjust independently of you. You and I have to do everything in our power to help Carlie get through this, even if it means letting someone else care for her for a while." "Okay love." I give in. I know he's right, as usual. One day I might find something he doesn't know already. Right now though, we have to pack. "I hope this rift doesn't last forever Edward," I comment as we get to our feet. He plants a kiss im my hair, "It won't angel. I promise."

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"I think it's a damn good idea Carlie," Jake says as we drive back to the motel, "Bella needs the extra supervision and you need someplace you feel safe." I flick the ash off of my cigarette, "I know, it's just I feel like some kind of battle lines are being drawn, like it was before Bella and I showed up and begged everyone to try and get along. I don't want it to go back to vampires versus werewolves Jake." He pats my leg,"It's not going to be like that honey. Carlisle already said that everyone planned on having the family parties at your house, if you allowed it, remember? No battle lines, no impending doom sweetheart." I slide my fingers through his,"I should have just found a little cottage or something to stay in until I could work this out. It's really going to suck having to move everyone." Jake laughs, "We don't have to worry about that Carlie, it's going to be sunny all day. They plan on getting their things packed today and moving it all tonight." I roll my eyes,"Yeah, I remember what he said."

We pull into the parking space and notice everyone has left to run their errands for the day. We sit out on the porch, eating our cereal and watching the morning sun overtake the river valley. Jake informs me that he and the pack have already discussed arrangements so that I'm never left alone in the house. Mischa and Allen obviously threw themselves into the plan. Everyone is going to move their work schedules around as well. Mischa had just gotten a call about a job at the library while Allen is going to be giving fencing lessons at the YMCA. Leah is going through with her Internet business of organic and natural body soaps and lotions and such so she'll be able to work from the house even. Quil and Embry have a small business of their own doing odd jobs on the reservation and around Forks so it won't be difficult for them to find time to check on me. Jake himself managed to convince the manager of the dealership I had bought my Eclipse at to offer him a part time job as a mechanic for the summer. I was the only one without a job, unless Leah drafted me to help make her inventory like she's done to Seth. I had a feeling that was exactly what she had in mind.

"Since Leah is going to be using the house as her labroratory, I don't mind if she just stays for the summer," I admit after washing up our breakfast dishes. Jake puts the last dried dish away, "If you want it honey. None of us are going to force you to deal with us in your house. I have no doubt the whole pack would just love to camp out there for the summer, but it's your decision." I move to the living area and begin tidying things,"Jake they can all stay at the house whenever they'd want to as long as it doesn't get in the way of our alone time." He laughs, "Well, on the account dad has pretty much adopted the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy at home, I might just have to stalk you all summer Miss Swan." I throw on of Mischa's beaded pillows at him, "You can't stalk someone when they want you to follow them around Jacob," I duck as he tosses it back," and I wouldn't mind spending the rest of the summer going to sleep and waking up next to you. I mean, if you'd want that." I finish in a low voice.

He jumps over the couch and scoops me up into his arms, "You are such an insecure girl for someone who likes to fight so much. This whole self esteem shit is really starting to piss me off. Carlie, if we weren't so goddamn young, I'd beg you to marry me and then carried you off to the nearest person with that authority the moment I could get you to agree." I nuzzle into his warm neck, "So, I guess that means maybe?" I tease. He buries his face in my hair, "My darling little Swan, if I could, go another night without falling asleep beside me and never have another morning that I couldn't kiss you awake." "Hhmm, I think I like that idea wolfy," I purr. He growls and kisses my forehead, "Alright Little Red Riding Hood." He swings me and drops me onto the couch. I land with an "Uumph!" and then fall off the couch. itry to wave a pillow at his head, but only get the same empty ache like I have been getting when I try to cast. I rearrange my features before Jake catches on, "I'm going to shave your ass one of these days Jacob, " and pick up another pillow, launching at his head. "Hey!" he calls out as he dodges the second and third pillows, "Aren't we supposed to be cleaning, not making a bigger mess? And aren't you supposed to be afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"

I give up on actually hitting my agile boyfriend, instead settling for making him twitch, thinking I'm going to attack him again. "Big Bad Wolf indeed mister. Question. How are any of you going to sleep between work, patrolling, living your lives, and babysitting me? It's going to be a sucky summer for the pack honey." He tosses the pillows in the corner with the rest of the guest bedding, "You forget Nessie, we need less sleep than you and we're built to go long spans without sleep if we need to. No worries sweetheart, we will be fine."

That day no one bothers us. We make love more times than I can count or would ever try to. Our little bubble of what life could and might be like when the worlds ideas of who are children and who are not finally have no more meaning to us. It may seem strange to some, but for two people trying to find their places both the mundane and supernatural worlds, this was the closest to normal I believe we would ever be. We barely have our clothes back on when Allen's car pulls in. We kiss passionately one last time and go out to meet the first barrage of the evening.

**ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU TO THOSE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY TOOK THE TIME TO REVIEW! I LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**FOR THOSE WHO HAD BOARDS SHOVED UP THEIR ASSES AND WERE TOO GOOD TO REVIEW: *blows raspberries and gives the number one***

**Okay, progress has been made once again after spending a full 24 hours of family drama and beating my head off of the wall because my mind didn't want to cooperate with getting this chapter done.**

**I'm am officially joining the 'REVIEW OR DIE' movement. So, REVIEW AFTER READING or I'm ****siccing**** Bitch Bella on you.**


	27. Part 27 Burning

**I don't own anything copyrighted..getting tired of having to admit it every fucking chapter too.**

**A/N: Carlie is in a bad place during this chapter. She's been through a lot and has bitched, but never really took the time to deal with shit and it's catching up to her. Bella's in a better place for a few reasons. Her vampire mind processes things faster, she is surrounded by people who have centuries of experience when it comes to losing people to death, and Bella's powers are still intact. Don't be pissed if Carlie gets more face time than Bella, I just write it as the story tells me to.**

**JOIN THE REVIEW OR DIE MOVEMENT. OR DIE.**

**Shakespear's Sister- Stay**

if this world is wearing thin and you're thinking of escape i'll go anywhere with you i'll do anything it takes [just wrap me up in chains]  
but if you try to go alone don't think i'll understand

stay with me, stay with me.

in the silence of your room in the darkness of your schemes [ ... dreams]  
there among the souvenirs [you must only think of me]  
and the useless memories [there can be no in between]  
when your pride is on the floor i'll make you beg for more

stay with me, stay with me.

you'd better hope and pray that you'll be safe [ that you make it safe]  
in your own world [back to your own world]  
you'd better hope and pray that you're gonna awake [that you wake one day]  
back in your own world [in your own world]  
[cause when you sleep at night they don't hear your cries]  
[in your own world]  
[only time will tell if you can break the spell]  
[back in your own world]

stay with me, stay with me.

**Part 27**

**Burning.**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

One thing I discovered very quickly about this shifting of residence. I now understand why people ask if someone has been raised by wolves. The first week after the move enlightened me to a lot of things actually. I've learned that when you tell a wolf pack they can stay at your house any time, they'll take you up on it. Often. Waking up at 4 am with fucking dirt bikes screaming by under your window is not my favorite thing to do. What makes things worse is when it's your boyfriend and his entire pack doing it, leaving the humans to be shocked into consciousness and wanting to skin said pack. Yeah, we locked their asses out of the house for that one. The first time I'd been able to sleep, for at least an hour or two, in days, and then they pulled that shit. If I could have blasted them, I would have. I'm serious. I think Mischa did. Allen slept through it until we started shrieking like banshees. He just cussed everyone out and went back to bed though. Well, I learned my fucking lesson that night. There really is no rest for the wicked.

Another one is, if you let one wolf into the house, the others will follow. And then you have wolf hair stuck to everything. I killed my vaccuum trying to get it cleaned up. Now wolf form is only acceptable in emergencies. It is so because I don't think any of them want another ruined vaccuum hurled at them. They all pitched in and bought a heavy duty professional one though, so I'm happy with that. Well, as happy as I get nowadays. And I have ran it at 4 am when all the wolves were sleeping. They were pissed, but couldn't bitch about the odds being evened up.

Does anyone realize how fucking much food werewolves eat? I now have two commercial refrigerators and freezers in my basement just to keep a weeks worth of groceries in the house. Oh, and the grocery bill. I should have known it was going to astronomical. Good thing on the first day Jake set a jar in the kitchen with a label 'Food Funds' on it and a threat of a severe beating if someone who hadn't pitched in was caught eating. I was never so glad to be the Alpha's mate in these situations. Allen had a special place of his own too, being the mate of the second-in-command. Leah was almost as upset as I was over the packs less than stellar behavior those first few days. She even took Jake to the side and bawled him out for not making the pack listen to his mate.

Yep, this was my life. Surrounded by teenage werewolves and two powerful witches while avoiding the woman who wears the face of my dead sister. I really was nothing but a helpless human now. A nobody in the midst of mythical creatures. Sure, I could fist fight with the humans, but even then I had trouble. I was having problems adjusting to the non-magic wielding life, that much was painfully obvious. I had never understood how deeply our use of magic was embedded in our psyche until I'd lost the ability to cast. I had also not realized the full extent of what would happen when you pulled someone back from the dead. I managed to survive it, but now had to face the fact that I may never cast again, to be a witch in name only for the rest of my existence. I admit, I spent a lot of time thinking what life would have been if I'd never been a witch. The ache was always present because my mind kept forgetting that it couldn't do those things anymore. But life goes on. It may be in starts and spurts, but it does. Even for a failure like me. Not that I'd ever admit that part out loud. I am learning very quickly not to express my self doubt to anyone. You get way too much attention that does nothing to but make things worse.

That's how I ended up in a fight with Ella Fanning in the middle of the McDonald's parking lot today, two days after the 4th of July party I had spent hiding from Bella. We had went to see a robot movie the guys had been drooling about and I was already in a bad mood. Everyone was having a good time goofing off and I was sketching them as they acted like idiots. They were trying to make me feel better after a particularly nasty episode of 'poor me' this morning. Ella Fanning is one of those girls you can tell used to be a nice person but the desire to be part of the 'In' crowd had sucked the life out of her. She was just one more bimbo at this point. I had every intent on ignoring her and her friends when they came out to their table and started their bad mouthing of my family, I truly did. I could ignore everything they said about me. It was when she made a comment stating that Charlie had probably crashed his car deliberately to kill himself to get away from his freak nieces that set me off. I jumped over my table on tackled her before anyone got close enough to stop me. I didn't say one word as my fists repeatedly said hello to her face. I just cried as I did my best to beat her brains into the concrete. By the time Jake had pulled me off of her, she'd stopped screaming altogether.

I waited long enough to know that I hadn't killed her before stealing Jake's car keys and taking off. I hadn't driven in months out of sheer terror, but I had no problem as I slid into the drivers seat of his Challenger and peeled out. I lit a cigarette as I sped down the highway and inspected myself. Torn and bloody clothes, knuckles scraped and swollen. Nothing felt broken as I flexed my fingers over the steering wheel. I put in my Disturbed cd and screamed the lyrics as I drove; I didn't care how much my face hurt while doing it. My cell phone had started ringing as I yelled. It had been Bella. I'd rolled the window down all the way and launched that bitch into traffic. I didn't want to talk to Bella. I missed my sister too much.

I had not bothered to check the gas gauge when I aboscounded the car so when it ran out of gas, I'd carefully parked it off the road and locked it up after putting a sign in the windshield stating I was going to get gas for it. I had no intentions of doing so but what the hell, give the fuckers hope. I walked for fucking hours, not bothering to see where my feet were taking me. I must have been close to Forks, because I found myself staring at Charlie's house. I'd found the spare key under the eave and let myself in before I could think of the repercussions of it.

It was here Edward found me, curled up in a ball on the living room floor, thinking about the mockery my life had become, hands clenching my old straight razor.

My almost brother didn't yell or scream or even ask why, he just laid down on the floor beside me and softly sang while stroking my hair. He didn't try to take the razor even. He had simply set his free hand over mine and held them gently. "I don't know what to do Edward," I sob from behind my arms, "I can't do anything. I feel like I'm falling apart all the time. No matter what I do, I can't seem to hold myself together. I feel so alone. It hurts to breathe, like something is trying to claw its way out of my chest...." My hands involuntarily draw themselves around my torso, trying to hold it together. I can't bring myself to look at him, the shame is too great. I was a spectacular failure against how well Bella has adjusted to her new life. The words came out in bursts and whispers, bringing my shame and despair out for all to see. He didn't give advice or try to psychoanalyze me, he laid quietly and listened.

I don't know when I fell asleep while crying against his cold marble body. I don't remember him carrying me home. I can't even recall him and Jake laying on either side of me while I slept. I do, however, remember waking in the middle of the night, crying and screaming like I do every time I sleep, and my mate and near brother both putting their arms around me while I wailed that I wanted to die. Eventually someone must have sedated me, because the second time I woke up, there was no screaming and the sun was high in the sky. I didn't even remember dreaming. Jake laid on his stomach with his arm around my waist and a cold hand was holding mine.

Edward sat in a chair beside the bed, holding my hand as he browsed through my sketchbook. "These are really damn good you know," he muses as he turns the page, "You could do this professionally. How do you feel?" I stretch and immediately regret it. "Like I've been in a fight then walked a few dozen miles," I retort in a rough voice,"Thanks for staying with me, I don't know if Jake could have handled that on his own." Edward shrugs a shoulder, "I love you kiddo and you needed me." He looks up from the pad, "I will warn you though. Bella stayed here last night too. She was too fucking scared that you'd flip out and take off again if she came up though, so she made sure to stay downstairs. Me and Jake took turns going down and keeping her up to speed."

Jake, upon hearing his name, stirs and rolls on his side to face me, "Morning," he rasps. "Not for much longer," Edward interjects as he gets to his feet, "I'm going to go tell Bells your awake." He plants a kiss on my forehead and exits without another word. Jake stretches then takes me in his arms. "You scared me Carlie. I thought I'd lost you again," he confesses. "You almost did," I honestly admit, "If Edward hadn't found me, I don't know what I would have ended up doing." He sighs and lays a chaste kiss on my lips, "I guess that's one more I owe Eddie for taking care of my girl." I wriggle out of his embrace with a wan smile and shuffle into the bathroom. After the events yesterday, I needed a shower quite badly.

Jake stumbles in for his human moment, then hops up on the sink to keep me company while I shower. "What did you want for breakfast sweetheart?" he inquires as I lather my hair up. I mull it around a bit, I'm not actually hungry but I know that won't fly with Mr. Overprotective Werewolf this morning. "How about something light Jake? My stomach is still kind of tender after beating the shit out of Fanning yesterday, I don't know if I'll be able to hold anything down,"I evade. He persists,"Bells made croissants, will that do?" I sigh and stick my soapy hair under the gushing water, "That's fine Jake. She must have made a few hundred dozen if you're deluding yourself that there will be any left for the poor human though." He allows a soft chuckle, "She baked all night long Nessie, trust me, there's enough for the beautiful little human." I finish scrubbing and hear Jake move back out into the bedroom as I get out. Funny, he's seen my body numerous times when we've made love, but still leaves when I changes clothes and stuff. I internally roll my eyes. Boys.

I put my robe on and head to my dresser to scare up some clothes. Jake dutifully is looking out the window, back to me. I dig out a pair of jeans with tears at the knees and pull them on before rummaging deeper and finding one of Jake's black vintage AC/DC tee's that I'd bought for him. Damn thing nearly hit me at the knees, but I didn't care today. I just knotted it at my waist and put on my studded gladiator sandals. I notice my razor on the night stand, poking out from under the sketchbook Edward had been perusing. I slide it into my back pocket as I retrieve my hairbrush and cigarettes. "I'm dressed hun, "I inform him as I start brushing my hair. He takes the brush from me and begins untangling my mane, "Have I told you how beautiful you are yet today?" he asks as he sweeps from forehead to waist with the detangling implement. I light a menthol, "No dear, I just figured you had finally healed from being hit by that pickup a few weeks back. I guess it takes a while for werewolves to heal brain damage."

He taps me on the head with the brush, "Stop that. I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world." I roll my eyes, "Sure, sure." He growls, "Don't patronize me Carlie or I'll take you outside and dump you in the pool with everyone else." I look at him through the vanity mirror, "Everyone?" He nods, "Except Rose and Emmett. They're packing for their trip to Africa, but they'll be over later, before they have to catch their flight. I guess we're having a cook out sweetheart." My eyes narrow at the thought and he quickly adds, "Don't worry, no one expects you to make an appearance if you aren't up to it. I think this has as much to do with showing you that they are all here if you need them as getting together and acting like idiots." I shift my eyes to the glowing tip of my cigarette, "I'm not really in the mood for this Jake. I think I'm just going to stay up here and draw, if you don't mind." He is quiet as he plaits my hair into a long braid, then kisses my head, "That's fine sweetheart. Do you want me to bring you up food so you can avoid them?" I shake my head, "Nah Jake, I can get it. I promise I won't take off again so go and have fun." He turns me around and cups my face in his rough hands, "Okay. Yell if you need me. I love you Carlie Elizabeth Swan, " he vows and softly touches his lips to mine before retreating from the room.

I find the remote for the stereo and turn it on. 'It's Been Awhile' from Staind starts flowing out of the hidden speakers as I unearth my pencils. I grab them and my book from the end table and flop down in the middle of the bed. I begin to drag the pencil across the page, letting my mind drift as I do so. The music transitions into 'Down with the Sickness' from Disturbed and the strokes become harsher, more aggressive. Another song comes on, 'Crazy Bitch' from Buckcherry, and a random stupid thought occurs to me. "I used to be gifted, but the psychiatrist took away my powers," I mumble to myself as I inspect my drawing. As soon as my eyes light upon it, I drop the pad and dash to the bathroom and relieve my stomach of what little contents it held. When I can choke back the heaving, I close the lid and lay with my head on it, eyes closed. I fight the swarm of repulsive and brutal images assaulting my mind as I lie there, but it does no good. The picture I had drawn was of a dismembered Charlie and now I can't force it away.

I feel the weight of the razor in my pocket and pull it out. Crawling across the floor, I shut the bathroom door and lean against it. I run my fingers over the bone and silver inlay of the handle and feel the tension recede slightly. Slowly, I slide the blade open, marveling at the shine of the steel. The pain dims a little more. I twist the blade, letting the light dance off of it and find myself smiling. Then my fingers slip and the razor bounces off of my leg and onto the floor. I feel the slight burn and look down. I thin line of blood is forming on the skin where one of the holes in my pants are. My mind instantly relaxes as I watch the little line fall to the inside of my leg and onto the denim. I gaze at it, awed, until the blood dries. Only then do I pick the blade up and clean it off before returning it to my back pocket. I push myself to my feet and get in the medicine cabinet, pulling out a few alcohol wipes to clean my leg with. I find myself humming 'Bloodsport' by the Sneaker Pimps as I clean the source of my calm mood. As I dispose of the evidence, I realize that I want to go down and mingle with my family. Hell, I might even have enough nerve to speak to Bella while I'm down there.

I go to my vanity and apply my eyeliner and a hint of black eyeshadow, then laugh at the Goth before me. Who would have thought I'd go this way completely? I grab my smokes and bounce down the stairs, lighting a cigarette as I go. Jake meets me at the open french doors that lead to the backyard. "How are you feeling honey? You look like you're in a better mood." he asks as he gives me a hug. I find myself smiling, "I'm good Jake, just decided that maybe I should give hanging out with the family a go." There's no way I can tell him how this good mood came to be. He beams his warm, infectious smile and gives me a kiss, "I'm glad. I was missing you something fierce." I shrug and motion for him to kneel down enough for me to get a grip on him. As he complies, I give him a peck on the cheek and jump onto his back, laughing at his surprise while I do so. He laughs a little self consciously, but walks us out to our family.

Seeing sparkly vampires playing water sports in an Olympic-sized pool with dark skinned werewolves and insane human witches is like being on an acid trip. It's fucking hilarious. Watching Jasper and Emmett trying to drown Edward is priceless. Jake sets me down and dives head first into the pool, Allen being his target. I walk out onto the low diving board and sit down close to the edge to watch the festivities. Alice is chasing Leah and Mischa around with Super Soakers while Seth and Quil are chasing a retreating Embry and Bella. I feel a small tightening when Bella discovers me perched on the board and swims over.

Her eyes are both loving and concerned as she treads water below me, "Are you feeling better Carlie?" she asks. I put my sunglasses on as I nod, "Better than I did yesterday, that's for sure. Thanks for letting Edward stay with me Bells, it meant worlds." She offers a bright smile, "Not a problem. If he helps that much, grab him whenever you need him. We both love you too much to let you do this compleely alone." Another tiny pull. I light another cigarette and nod towards the blond vampire being tossed in the air by her mate, "Rose is going to be pissed. Emmett just threw her in the pool." Bella shrugs as she looks, "They'll be leaving tonight as it is so we won't have to hear that fight or the make up session that will follow." She turns back to me, "You want something to eat Nessie? I made a lot of food that I know you like." Little stab in my chest. "No, I'm not hungry Bells, thanks though. I think you need to go save your boy toy, Jake and Jasper are dragging him out of the pool and Allen is prepping the catapult," I inform her. She laughs and nods, "Yeah, this has stupid and dangerous written all over it. Be right back." I nod and wave her on.

I manage to keep my face smooth as she chases after her boyfriend. The moment she is out of sight, I bolt towards the house, clutching my chest. By the time I reach the downstairs bath and get the door closed, I'm gasping and tears are running down my face. I lay on the decorative rug and pull my knees to my chest as the pain consumes me. Floating from the speakers is 'Smokey Joe' from Tori Amos. It reminds me of my little discovery earlier. I reach for the blade as I unfurl myself. My body tenses up slightly, as if preparing for the calm I'm hoping to reclaim. I unbuckle my biohazard belt and chuck my pants down to my knees. I find a suitable place high up on my thigh as I open the razor. Upon touching the edge to my skin, the knot of anticipation begins to throb inside of me. I press down slightly and the tension doubles, becomes more focused. Slowly I drag it across my skin, hissing as the layers of skin are sliced apart. Immediately the blanket of calm begins to fall over me again as the pain replaces panic. I stop pulling it, instead I firmly press it into the burgeoning red line and close my eyes as the calm intensifies. I can feel my pulse throbbing around the steel and allow a slight smile to form. As I relax, I let the blade fall away from my leg, causing another, smaller burn. It was delicious.

I lay back on the floor as my earlier mood of happiness resurfaces and begin to plan. My mind deduces that the feelings invoked by the razor aren't that dissimilar than those I'd experienced when I had gotten my ears, nose, or lip pierced. Maybe tattoos would do the same thing. At this point, if it helped me keep my mind a little longer, how could it hurt? I've always wanted more piercings and a couple of tats anyways, now I just had one more reason to actually get them. I manage to get my leg cleaned and my jeans back in place before there is a knock on the door, "Carlie, it's Alice. Jake and Bella wanted me to make sure you got something to eat and I was wondering what you wanted," she chatters as I pull open the door. I give her a relaxed smile, "I can get it Ali, I just needed a few minutes of silence. Thanks though, I appreciate it." She looks like she's searching for something but quickly recovers and offers a smile of her own, "Okay then, let's go feed the human!" she laughs and proceeds to drag me out of the house, through the yard, and over to a huge buffet table piled with food.

Strangely enough, every time Bella tries to talk with me alone after that, someone always finds a way to get in on the conversation. Carlisle and Esme surprise everyone by making an appearance for an hour or so before Rosalie and Emmett have to leave to catch their flight. No one questions my occasional disappearances, who would? I needed human moments. I knew the vampires would smell the alcohol and had used my bouts of clumsiness to remind them that just because Bella was undead now, it didn't save this Swan from tripping and falling. Life did catch up eventually, when Carlisle and Esme announced that they had to take their children to catch their plane. After a few rounds of hugs and well wishes, the four Cullens made a graceful exit. Quil and Embry had to work that evening, a last minute repair job for a man who was taking his wife out for their anniversary and wasn't going to have time to finish cleaning up the backyard where the jacuzzi was. So Q and E to the rescue. Leah was taking Allen and Mischa home with her and Seth for the evening, letting their parents get used to the idea of their imprints being Goth witches in small steps. Jake wanted to take down a bunch of the left over food for his dad while Edward took Bella hunting. Jasper and Alice opted to stay here and clean up so I insisted on staying as well. I wasn't going to let other people clean my house while I wasn't home.

After we help Jake get the car loaded, Jasper drifts into the backyard while Alice drags me into the kitchen to finish putting food away. As much as I love evil Tinkerbell, I can't seem to focus on her as we work. Her voice becomes a tinkling hum in the background while I sift through my thoughts. Once done with the food, I scrub down the kitchen, twice, before moving on to the bathrooms. Alice doesn't push, she simply follows with her nonstop talk of fashion and decorating ideas. One thing I catch is her explaining that her and Jasper will be leaving next week for a vacation before beginning the preparations to start school. Jasper is supposed to be attending college in Seattle, but I'm not sure if he's actually going or if it's just another cover to wait on Alice to finish high school again. I ask and she informs me that he is actually attending online, mostly taking poetry classes since he discovered she has a thing for original poetry. She admits that its been a recent fascination because Bella had read her a few poems Edward had written for her. I keep my mouth shut on that one. I would never make fun of Edward for being so open with Bella like that. I might say shit about other things, but not that.

Then the moment comes I'd been dreading this entire evening. "Carlie, can I ask you a question?" Alice timidly inquires, her golden eyes big with worry. I look at her, eyebrow raised, "I am not talking to you about my sex life Ali." She giggles, "Oh darn. I guess I'll have to find something else to gossip about." I roll my eyes, "Pixie, you have spent the last two hours babbling at warp 10 about everything and nothing. I seriously doubt you will ever run out of things to gossip about whether you discover the lemony goodness of my intimate life or not." She puts her hands on her little hips and gives me a look, "You're evading my questions." I laugh and finish wiping down the sink, "Whatever gave you that idea Alice? Did you have to use your ESPN to figure it out?" She grabs my sleeve and starts tugging on it, "Please Carlie," she pleads, "It's important to me." I shrug my arm until she lets go, "Let me put this shit away, then you can ask your questions. Just don't get pissed if I don't answer them the way you want." She starts jumping up and down, doing her happy evil Tinkerbell dance, "Thank you! Thank you! I love you Nessie!" I step around the hyperactive vampire, "Ever hear of tranquilizers Tink?" She ignores my quip and dances out after me.

Jasper is lounging outside on the deck, obviously enjoying the warm night air as he reads a book. He smiles at at as we walk by, making sure to mouth an 'I love you' to Alice when she passes. I grab a Code Red from the fridge and head to the sunroom. My almost sister waits for me to get comfortable and light a menthol before beginning her tirade. I'm genuinely surprised with her. Most of her questions are bout how I'm adjusting to living mostly alone, how Jake and I are doing, and inquiring about the packs wellbeing. She asks if Leah would mind a helper in her business and I tell her to just ask and find out. What I don't admit is Leah had been contemplating asking Alice for her input since she began her endeavor. The exhuberant sprite positively radiates happiness when I tell her to ask, then jumps into her own ideas for soap and lotions. She even ventures to admit that she hopes Leah says yes and then helping her expand it. Alice loves the idea because it is a job she can do and not have to give it up after a few years largely due to the fact that she would never have to directly interact with anyone but Leah herself. By the time Jake calls at 10:45 to tell me that Billy wants him to stay for the night, Jasper has been drawn into Alice's little bubble of excitement.

I end up falling asleep on the couch, feet in Jasper's lap and head in Alice's. When the nightmare's wake me up at 3:30 am, I manage to hold back the bloodcurdling screams while I orient myself with my surroundings. I sit up and crack my neck as I reach for my cigarettes. Under the pack is a note written in Alice's ladylike handwriting explaining if I wake up, don't panic. Her and Jasper are just out for a swim in the pool. I glance at the clock again. Hour and a half of sleep, I'm good then. I shuffle my way out to the side deck to make sure the lovebirds aren't disturbed in that backyard. I know that eventually they will smell me, but I'm safe for now. Knowing I'm downwind helps. I lean on the railing and gaze into the dark forest as I filter through the latest incarnation of mental torture that I've endured. You'd figure my mind would get tired of mixing up the same things over and over after all this time, but it never does. I try to fight the pain coursing through me as I think. I don't believe I'm going to succeed at keeping it a bay tonight.

Tonight's featured torment was being beaten and raped by James again while a limbless vampire Charlie sat in the corner, his accusing eyes flickering with victory every time the whip licked my skin or a cry of pain escaped my lips. Bella was chained in another corner, not as a victim though. Now she was the red eyed newborn who licked her lips with anticipation every time new blood was drawn and the chain was holding her back from taking my blood. Edward and Jacob sat off to the side on bar stools, playing guitars and arguing about the cruelty of women. Victoria stood behind Jake, her pale arms round his shoulders and her lips coming back crimson every time she leaned down to kiss his neck. He looks over at me when she does it another time, a look of pure bliss on his features. It's that thought that sends me to the bathroom, panting and gasping again. I take precautions this time, turning on the shower and climbing in before drawing the razor. It takes two cuts, again, to conjure the calm cloud around me.

Once sufficiently relaxed, in all honesty, I'm damn near giddy, I exit my shower and turn on music again while I dress for the day. I sing and dance along to 'Weapon of Choice' from Fatboy Slim as I bounce around my room. I finally grab my sketchbook and tear out yesterdays picture, then throw it into one of my crystal bowls. I find others that I'd drawn and toss them in too before dousing it with nail polish remover and torching the pile. I quote a line from the movie Legend as they burn. "Higher, higher, burning fire, making music like a choir!" I cackle at the charring horrors.

When it burns down and the insane laughter dies away, I go back to sketching and singing to the music. Anything not to fall victim to sleep again. I even end up on my laptop, reading peoples fan fiction about those stupid vampire books/movies that Bella is obsessed with. I stumble upon Wide Awake by Angst Goddess 003 again and reread it. Once I'm done, I raid the kitchen for some cookies. I drop the coffee pot while attempting to fill it. "Fuck me running," I grumble as I fetch the broom and dustpan. "Wouldn't that be a little difficult?" Jake's voice interrupts my musings. I drop the broom and throw myself into his arms. He strokes my hair as I cling to him, "Miss me love?" he teases but holds me tighter as I nod into his chest. "Another bad dream? Alice said you fell asleep earlier, but you were awake and in the shower when she came to check on you." I can feel the pain returning and try to redirect it by stretching up and kissing him as hard as I can. He eagerly returns the kiss. I draw back long enough to whisper, "Lets go to our room."

He scoops me up and darts up the stairs, easily skipping ever other one in his haste. I don't give him time to rethink this. As he locks the door, I'm pulling off his shirt and covering him with biting kisses. I have no intentions of easing up on my aggression and prove it by raking my nails across his red-brown skin until welts start forming. He catches on to my mood and begins reacting accordingly, yanking my clothes off and throwing me onto the bed. He growls as he returns those biting kisses while forcing his hand between my thighs to stroke my dripping center. I let out a strangled cry when he lessens his primal actions, causing him to redouble his efforts. Unfortunately, the ache in my chest rears its head and I do something drastic. "If you don't want me, I'm sure I can get someone else to give me what I want, "I purr enticingly. He nearly roars when he bites down on my shoulder, "Mine," he snarls. I laugh at him and roll over to crawl off of the bed, "Prove it." I challenge. I know I'm pushing him into a frenzy, but it's what I need to make the pain to go away. I have to replace the monster I'm terrified of with the monster that I love. He pins me on my stomach and digs his fingers into my hips, "My girl," he pants and pulls my hips into the air, forcing me to move my knees to support my weight. He doesn't wait or ask permission, he drives himself into me with a force that makes me orgasm as soon as I feel his body slam into mine. His pace is hard, fast, and almost cruel, but I can't stop screaming how good it feels. Trading one unbearable pain for a better one. Every time she tries to slow, I start taunting him, making him snarl and dig his fingers into whatever part of my body he has a hold of at the time. Our intimacy has never been this brutal, not even that first night when his mind was muddled by the dueling natures. I keep forcing him back into his feral mindset by questioning his claim on me. I've never had so many mind shattering orgasms in my life. He doesn't ask permission when he grows close to his climax, he just bits down on the back of my neck and clamps down as he releases into me. The orgasm induced by his bite causes me to black out momentarily.

Jake is still recovering when I slip out of bed and dress hastily to hide my new wounds. "What the hell was that about Carlie?" he rasps as I dig my smokes out of my pocket. I smile as I light one, "I dunno sweetheart, I just needed you to claim me as yours. You didn't mind, did you?" He smiles and shakes his head, "Not really. It was just intense. You have never pushed me like that before and I kind of lost it. Did I hurt you?" I laugh,"Not in an way I didn't want you to." He gawks at me as I lay a kiss on his cheek and prance out the door, "Be right back hun. Want a cup of coffee?" He chuckles, "Sure honey."

Alice and Jasper have made themselves scarce, probably went home when Jake showed. I make my way to the kitchen and find that the broken glass is gone, the replacement pot already full of the bitter brew I love. Jake meanders in, wearing only his jeans, as I finish pouring my cup. "I was going to bring this up Jake, " I admit as he plants a kiss on my neck. He takes his mug and shrugs, "That's okay Carlie. I was going to grab something to eat, that's all." I notice that the welts and bruises I'd left are already beginning to fade. I pang of regret touches me as I gently run my hands over his chest. "I have nothing to hold you to me," I mutter, fingering a bruise, "Maybe we should run off to Port Angeles and get tattooed today." He raises and eyebrow?" What did you have in mind?" I shrug, "Maybe one of your paw prints on me that way I have a part of you with me always." Jake smiles and pulls me closer to him, "I like that idea. What should I get then to hold you to me?" I snicker, "A swan of course. A black one. Think of that significance Jake." He laughs and kisses me tenderly. "So which one of us is driving?" he asks when we take a breath. "I will," I offer. He nods and tosses me a set of keys, "I made you a set when I go the car on the road. Something told me you'd need them sooner or later."

Five hours later, we stumble out of the tattoo shop laughing like idiots. Our tattoos end up in the same place, our left sides. Jake even insisted they be the same size, so we had equal opportunity to show them off. I also recieved a tiny version of his pack tattoo on the space between my ear and hairline. Jake thought it was appropriate with me being an Alpha's mate and I wasn't about to argue with him. Jake, of course, is healing much faster than I and he calls Mischa on the way home to ask her for a healing slave for my tats.

I wish I could say that getting tattooed cured all of my issues. I wish I could tell him that things got better real fast. I wish I could tell him that I was okay. The truth was, it got harder everyday to make it without cutting. On the surface, I began to accept Bella for what she was, it got people to leave me alone. On the outside I put on a brave face, accepting my fate as a powerless witch. I even played the part when it came to going to bed at night, just to appease my family. The worst truth was that I was losing my mind slowly and I couldn't tell a soul.

**Pictures of tattoos on my profile! I also put up pics of ****BxE**** and ****CxJ****!**

**REVIEW OR DIE. IT'S THAT SIMPLE.**


	28. Part 28 Secrets

**If I owned any of the copyrighted shit, I sure as hell wouldn't be living in a trailer in fucking ****Hoopyville**** West Virginia. So I'm just one more piece of white trash who loves the works of Stephenie Meyer.**

**Korn****- Slept So Long**

Walking, waiting Alone without a care Hoping and hating The things I can't bare Did you think it's cool to walk right up To take my life and fuck it up Well did you, well did you

I see hell in your eyes Taken in by surprise Touching you makes me feel alive Touching you makes me die inside

Walking, waiting Alone without a care Hoping and hating The things I can't bare Did ya think it's cool to walk right up And take my life and fuck it Well did you

I hate you!

I see hell in your eyes Taken in by surprise Touching you makes me feel alive Touching you makes me die inside

I've slept so long without you It's tearing me apart too How did you get this far Playing games with this old heart I've killed a million petty souls But I couldn't kill you I've slept so long with out you

I see hell in your eyes Taken in by surprise Touching you makes me feel alive Touching you makes me die inside

**Part 28**

**Secrets**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

I could keep pretending that my baby sister was okay, it would be easier, on the surface. I just can't bear watching her go through the motions of living like this. Watching Carlie is now a symphony of beauty and pain. As her collection of body piercings and tattoos grow, so does the list of people unfortunate enough to be the focus of her rage. She won't really open up to me, but oddly enough, will immediately resort to violence with anyone who speaks ill of me or any member of our adopted clans.

It was only today that I discovered that my younger twin was still unable to cast magic. She had hid it so well and had sworn all who knew to silence. I may never have known if I had not agreed to going out for a weekend motorcycle excursion with the family. We had driven north, into Canada, for a relaxing weekend of camping and hunting. The vampires and the wolves had a small competition going and the witches, aside from me, were the referees. Carlie had fallen at some point and broken her wrist. I was unaware of her accident until Allen and Edward has went off with her to repair it. I had followed to offer any help that I could.

Carlie, sitting on a flat-topped boulder, was holding an obviously broken wrist while Edward assessed the damage. Allen was pulling out the healing salves, his face sad but determined. He'd asked if she had tried to heal the fracture and she'd snarled at him, saying that if she could've healed it, she would have but considering the fact that her magic gauge was still empty, she was forced to find other methods. I went back to the rest of the family before anyone noticed my absence. Now I know the why. Now I must figure out the how. How do I fix this? We knew that there would be repercussions for bringing Charlie back, but it's the beginning of August now and she still can't cast? Oh my god! No wonder she's been so distant from everything! I rush to find Mischa, she has to know more of what's been going on. I am tired of waiting for my sister to talk to me, I need answers now.

My favorite Goth girl was currently arguing horror movies with her imprint, quite vehemently I might add.

"Goddammit Seth, "she was seething," I don't understand why I have to like romantic comedies and shit just because I'm a fucking girl! You don't need to have the double Y chromosome to enjoy movies that scare the shit out of people!" Seth ran his fingers through his shaggy hair, "I didn't mean it that way Mish! I just think it's really strange, but cool, that there is finally a girl in the world who wants to watch something else than another god-awful season of the Hills or some garbage." They both laugh, knowing the reference was about Leah and her obsession with those teen semi-reality shows. Mischa sees me, "Hey Dead Girl! Where's Fangalicious?" I roll my eyes and muss the teenage wolf's hair," He went of with Allen, must be looking for a new spot to ambush people from. Think I can talk to you away from your rottweiler for a moment?" I wink at Seth. Even from his position on the ground he is able to wrap a brown arm around my waist and give me a squeeze, "Only if you bring her back Bells, we have a movie discussion to finish." I hug him back as Mischa gets to her feet, "I swear I will bring your Psycho back Seth, even if she's kicking and screaming." He smirks and Mischa smacks my arm, "Fuck you Bells," she snarls in mock anger. I wrap my free arm around her and give her a peck on the cheek, "Love you too Mish."

Seth lets us go after a chaste kiss to the back of our hands and I lead her down by the bubbling stream nearby. "What's on your mind Vampirella?" Mischa finally asks after a pregnant silence, "You might not be getting any older, but I am. Kind of," she laughs. I lay my head on her shoulder, "Why didn't anyone tell me Nessie's powers weren't coming back?" Mischa sighs and let her cheek fall against my head, "She doesn't want anyone to know, especially you hun. She knows that she's the one behind the rift between you two and didn't want to make things worse." My eyes blink against the uncomfortable feeling of being unable to shed tears, "She's not getting better is she Mish? I've done everything she's asked, hoping that something finally works, but I see her fading. She won't tell me anything and won't let anyone else either. But I see it. Between the ink and the metal, and the fighting, I know I'm losing her. I don't know what to do to save my baby sister!" A dry sob bursts from my chest and Mischa wraps her arms around me, my head falling into her lap. She strokes my hair as I give myself over to my grief and pain.

I smell him as he comes rushing up. "Bella!" Edward cries in a frantic voice, "Bella, what's wrong angel?" His hands rub my back as Mischa informs him, "She knows about Carlie, Edward, and how her power is still gone. She's feeling a little fucking emotional at the moment so stop yelling at her before I punch you in the fucking mouth." He stifles a snarl and lays his head against my back, "I'm so sorry angel," He apologizes in a much lower voice, "I wanted to tell you but she made me swear that I would let her tell you herself. That's why I kept my mouth shut. She kept promising to tell you herself." "I'm not mad at you Edward, "I mumble as I push myself out of Mischa's lap, "I'm frustrated and scared she's going to do something that is going to take her away from us forever." Mischa shakes her head, "She's not stupid enough to commit suicide Bells. There are too many of us that would go after her. She also loves Jake too much to drag him into death with her."

Edward, who stands when I move, reaches his hand out to me. I take it and he pulls me to my feet and into his waiting embrace. "We'll help her angel," he promises, "No matter what. Now come on, everyone is getting together to play a game of old fashioned American football." I look at him, "Football? I thought you guys were more the baseball type?" He laughs as we walk back to camp, "Usually we are, but the wolves insisted on playing at least one game of football so there was a coin toss. Wolves won." Mischa catches up, "So, is this going to be vamps versus wolves or co-ed teams?" Edward wraps his free arm around her, "Alice says it's going to be co-ed just to keep things a little more even. Hell, even Esme is going to play. She fucking loves football." "I'd like to play too," I hear myself say, "It will be a good distraction for me." They laugh as we come into the clearing where everyone is preparing.

Carlisle, Esme, Quil, Rosalie, Jake, and Leah end up on one team while Edward, Seth, Jasper, Emmett, Embry, and myself are on the other. Alice, Mischa, Allen, and Carlie agree to be referees as long as I can keep everyone's thoughts from Edward. He throws a small tantrum when they ask, so of course I have to agree right away. While the field is being marked off, I take the time to get a good look at my sister. She looks awful. All of the weight gained back after our imprisonment is gone, leaving Carlie looking like a tattooed and pierced skeleton. What little weight she did carry was in the form of muscles stretched too tight, giving her the appearances that her musculature was permanently tensed. I could see her belly button ring poking over her baggy black cargo pants and biohazard belt. When she bends over to tie her boot, I get a glimpse of hoops and ribbon on her back. She had called it a corset piercing. It matches the ones that adorned her forearms, right down to the black and hunter green ribbons laced through them. Her hair hung limp around her face, fallen free from a messy bun. Her shirt consisted of two black and white skull bandannas tied together under her arms. Her face looked slightly vampiric. Pallid, with dark circles under her chocolate, black eyeliner highlighted, eyes. Her now ever-present cigarette is currently being held by twitchy fingers while she inspects the ace bandage on her left wrist. If I didn't know better, I would have said that my sister was a heroin addict. I know that wasn't possible, she would have stunk of the vile chemicals. She did smell off, but a different kind of chemicals.

*_Why does Carlie smell off Edward?_* I send the thought out to him. He glances at her, then me from across the field, then sighs in defeat. *_S__he's going to be pissed that I said anything, but she started taking antidepressants last week. She said they're not helping though and wants to throw them away, but Jake begged her to give them another week before she gives up on them._* I move my head up and down once, acknowledging his response. I gaze at her again out of my peripheral, thankful for my excellent vampire eyesight. She's watching Jacob intently and shadowing his movements from a slight distance while he helped mark lines. They looked like magnets, moving in sync unconsciously while moving ever closer to one another. The thought makes me smile. Esme had once made a similar observation of Edward and myself. As soon as Jake is done with his job, she jumps towards him and his hands automatically stretch out to catch her. It's like watching two dancers, perfectly coordinated moves. She wraps her arms around his neck after he kissed her and swings her around onto his back. Her thin legs wind around his waist and he jogs over to his team, her slight form not hindering him in the least.

Suddenly Emmett is picking me up over his shoulder, "Ready to play sis?" he chortles as we near our team. I slap his bottom, "Of course I'm ready you big lug! Now put me down before I bite you!" His guffaws echo through the valley, "Just make sure its the right cheek Bellie, cuz Rose bit the other one last night!" I hear Edward laughing, "No Bella, don't bite Emmett, you have no idea where that ass has been!" Emmett picks me up and tosses me through the air, causing a scream to erupt. "I got her! I got her!" Emmett and Edward's voice call as gravity makes a reappearance. And then I stop, hovering about 15 feet of of the grass. Mischa and Allen's very vocal display of glee approach. "Got ya," Allen smirks as I cross my arms and give him my best death glare. His grin grows wider and I feel myself being lifted and dropped repeatedly. "Look!" Allen calls, "It's a Bella shaped yo-yo! Oh shit!" I hit the ground with an "Umph!" as Allen is tackled by Edward. "You know, you really shouldn't have done that," Edward growls. Allen laughs and pats Edward's pale cheek, "If you hadn't have tackled me, I wouldn't have lost my focus and dropped her so in all honesty, it's your fault she fell. Now get off me before I decide to turn you into a real leech." Mischa kicks Allen's leg," Up fuctard, we have a game to referee and that would be difficult if Edward eats your dumbass." Edward ruffles Allen's hair and jumps to his feet, "Let's play some football!" "Stupid, sparkly vampire," Allen grumbles as he gets to his feet and follows.

I get lucky, in a sense, they tell me that I get to be a wide reciever. "You get to catch the ball and run like hell," Edward translates when I fail at my 'I understand' face. We line up, Jasper in the quarterback position. Emmett and Jake crouch face to face, both with huge grins on their faces. I block everyone's thoughts from Edward, including our teams. He frowns slightly when he feels my shield engulf him, but says nothing. "Blue 14! Green 36! Hut! Hut!" Jasper calls and then we're in motion. I don't know how the humans kept up with our movements. I'm not quite sure they did. We mostly just heard cheering from them as we played. I could even hear Carlie cheer for her Jacob from time to time. Every time I heard her, it made me smile because at least she was participating in some way.

We play until late in the evening, when the humans in the family decide that it's time to build a bonfire and make dinner while the vampires hunt. Edward and I quickly find our prey and satiate thirst before racing back. I'm determined to speak to my wayward sibling.

Edward goes to aid in gathering firewood when we find my sister preparing chicken at one of the camp tables. "Need help?" I inquire in a light voice as I reach her. She points at a large bowl of cubed potatoes, "You can wrap those in aluminum foil, if you want." I roll my eyes, "No Carlie, I just offered my help to turn around and watch you do all the work, " I answer sarcastically. She shrugs her bony shoulders, "Whatever you want to do Bella, it's no big deal." I get to work, "You don't look so good Nessie. I know, by the way, so don't mess around." She finishes pulling the chicken out of the marinade before she speaks, refusing to look at me. "Bells, I'm just going through a rough patch, I'll be fine," Carlie defends, "You have bigger shit to worry about than me." I snort, "Like what Carlie? What's more important than you? Than my family?" Carlie steps back from the food and lights a cigarette, "I don't know Bella, maybe like not slaughtering the whole town because you get an overwhelming urge for a midnight snack or something." I stop and look at her, shocked by the venom in her words. "That's bullshit and you know it Carlie Swan. Stop avoiding me and actually say what you mean for once! And don't fucking run away from me this time!" I spit angrily.

She doesn't answer, but I notice her cigarette is beginning to shake in her hand. I take a step towards her, "Answer me Carlie Elizabeth, or I swear I'll-" She cuts me off, "Swear you'll do what Bella?! Fucking die on me? Fuck, you've already done that! You are a goddamn corpse walking around with the face of my twin on it, but my twin is gone Bella! She fucking died months ago and she fucking left me! I can't feel you, I can't connect with you because you're fucking dead Bella!" she screams, fisting her hands in her hair, "What the fuck do you want from me? I have no power, no sister, no parents! All I have left is Jake and his pack and a future of watching a fucking corpse that looks like my twin or my uncle haunting me day and night for the rest of my fucking life!"

That infuriates me, "Well Carlie, I'm so sorry that some jackass vampire decided to bite me against your wishes! You make it sound like I jumped on him and begged him to turn me into this in the middle of a damn war! I'm sorry it inconvenienced you because you didn't get what you wanted! Do you really fucking think that I wanted to end a vampire this way?!" I'm panting out of sheer anger, "If there was anything I could do to have prevented that idiot from biting me, don't you think I would have done it?! Yes, I wanted to eventually join Edward as a vampire, but not like that! I would have wanted it in another few years, when everyone, especially you, would have had time to get used to the damn idea! So I'm sorry that I'm not good enough for you! And I'm not blocking you Carlie, the connection was cut when I turned!"

I hear her move, but it doesn't compute until I feel her hand collide with my face. I feel the crunching of her bones when her hand connects but she doesn't even react to the pain, "I never fucking said that your weren't good enough!" she shrieks, tears in her eyes, "It just hurts so fucking much to look at you, knowing you'll never get older and I will! You'll always be able to cast, I won't! I'll always be the fucking human reminder of your old life Bella! You've went somewhere that I can't follow! I'm fucking lost inside of my own head because I was never alone in it before you died!" She falls to her hands and knees, "It hurts so much I can't think, I can't breathe....I can't even live...I try to cast and all I get is the same fucking hollow ache that I feel when I try to feel you Bella. I'm nothing....I can't even have the fucking option of dying because it would kill Jake too." She lays forward until her cheek is resting on the ground, fingers gently digging into the soil, "And I could never do that to him. He's all I have left that is good inside of me." her voice becomes a sing-song whisper,eyes shining blankly in the firelight, "I'm a nobody...I'll never be a somebody...only one will remember me when I'm dead....I'm a nobody...I'll never be a somebody...only one will remember me when I'm dead."

I my legs give out and I collapse to her side, "Oh god Carlie, I didn't know. I didn't know you were hurting..I swear I didn't know it was causing you so much pain, " I feel the sobs rolling out of me as I pick her up and hold her in my arms, "I'm so sorry baby sister, I'm sorry I left you behind." She lays limp against me for the longest time, letting me stroke her hair and rock her. Night has completely fallen and I hear the others on the other side of the fire when she finally talks again. "I'm so alone Bella, it hurts so much," she whimpers over and over into my chest as her body shakes with her crushing tears.

**How's that for a fucking cliffy?!!!**

**Okay, reviews for more story!!!! Yes, I want to hold my story fucking hostage!!! I'll probably give you more either way, but ut's fun to pretend more people care about this story than just those great ones that regularly review!!!**

**REVIEW OR DIE DAMMIT.**


	29. Part 29 Oh Shit

**I don't own, don't ask. I wouldn't be an almost 30 something housewife if I did.**

**Lacuna Coil- The Pain**

I wake up to a smoking gun The evidence is in your head There's no proof of guilt or innocence

I'm finished with you taking me through A line of questioning that feeds you I'm must confess I'm here to kill the pain

To kill the pain To kill the pain To kill the pain To kill the pain

What can I do? To kill the pain How hard I fight? To kill the pain No matter how... To kill the pain How long I've tried

The sword of justice in your hand You cut me down sharp like a blade You make me want to never trust again

I'm finished with you dragging me through More lies and deceit that feeds you I'm must confess I'm here to kill the pain

To kill the pain To kill the pain To kill the pain To kill the pain

What can I do? To kill the pain How hard I fight? To kill the pain No matter how... To kill the pain How long I've tried

What can I do? To kill the pain How hard I fight? To kill the pain No matter how... To kill the pain How long I've tried

Doesn't matter if it mattered I would never have tried To save us both from losing our minds Doesn't matter if you shatter me now I have to get away

The rain comes, the rain comes Nothing's gonna buy you time The rain comes, the rain comes You know it's gonna come

What can I do? To kill the pain How hard I fight? To kill the pain No matter how... To kill the pain How long I've tried

What can I do? To kill the pain How hard I fight? How long I've tried No matter how How long I've tried

**Part 29**

**Oh Shit.**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

In the 3 1/2 weeks since Carlie's breakdown, things have begun to improve. Not by leaps and bounds, but I'll take what I can get. Carlisle adjusted her meds and that seems to help a little. Carlie complains about them, saying they make it difficult to focus, and she feels like a zombie. I'm beginning to believe her. Jake, who is usually so in tune with her, admits that before she began the medication, he could make a good guess at her feelings, but now she feels like static. Edward has mentioned the same thing. We have tried talking to her about therapy, but she knew that we couldn't pursue that option very much farther than her private conversations with Carlisle. She would have to hide too much with a regular shrink thus defeating the purpose. I had tried to speak with Carlisle about a mental health facility, but he wouldn't commit to it unless Jacob and Esme would. Neither wanted to put Carlie through something like that. Alice refused to talk to me for a week when she found out I had brought that option up in the first place. I couldn't blame her for it. Mischa had spent a lot of time trying to find out who Alice was in her human life and discovered that Alice had been in an asylum for most of her life. She didn't know who changed her or why, but at least she now knew where she came from.

I come over to her house every day now, even if we don't say word one to each other. I do it for a few reasons. One, so she knows I'm here for her no matter what. Two, so she can get used to my vampiric presence instead of my human one. And third, one of the biggest, Jake was helping her dress once after we came home, she was in a cast for her broken hand, and he saw a pattern of lines on her legs that looked like plaid cut into her thighs. She wouldn't answer anyone when asked if she had gotten hurt or if she'd done it herself. So we gathered all of the sharp instruments in the house and locked them up, but we couldn't find her straight razor and she wouldn't hand it over. One of the few times she was sleeping, we'd already learned that sedatives make her nightmares worse, the family had a meeting and came to the conclusion that Carlie was never to be left alone until she could be trusted not to hurt herself. She shocked everyone when she just shrugged when we told her of this decision. She didn't even make an attempt to argue. The biggest problem I'm having is the dead look in her eyes. Sure, she smiles and will laugh on occasion, but it seems so forced. It never reaches her eyes. She didn't even flinch when Emmett and Rosalie said that they were going back to Africa, this time for a while instead of the extended honeymoon they had originally went on. She had simply told them to have fun and not get attacked by warlords or pirates.

She never stops moving either. She will clean the house top to bottom every day if she's given liberty to. I think she could rival Alice in her ability to keep going. She also fills pad after pad with random drawings that she only allows Jacob or Edward to see. Her iPod is always attached to an ear, day, night, it never matters. Another staple is that a cigarette is always in one hand and something highly caffeinated in the other. I have fought with her about it more than once but have come to terms with it being a lost cause. The only time someone hid her nicotine and caffeine, she put her head through a wall during an argument with Jake over what to make for lunch. 12 staples in her head and some plaster later, she was quietly given back her caffeine and menthol cigarettes. She hadn't had her medicine that day on top of it all. It's sad that we have to choose between a Carlie who feels nothing while on her meds and a Carlie that has panic attacks and constantly want to fight with people. Either way, I'd rather have to choose than to see her on a morticians table.

I give Edward a kiss and crawl out of bed, unwinding our limbs as I go, "Come on sweetheart, we have to go." He makes a swipe for my waist and I neatly evade it. "I don't want to go to school, I want you to come back to bed so I can ravish you again," he pouts as I begin dressing. I smack his foot that is poking out from under the comforter, "Move it Cullen before I levitate you out of the bed." He growls and launches himself at me. We crash to the floor with a thump, his hands already encircling my wrists, "What did you call me?" he hisses in my ear. I smirk at him, "Cullen, get off of me and get dressed. If anyone comes up to see what that noise was, I'm sure they're not going to want to see your bare ass pinning me to the floor." His eyes darken, I know I'm pushing my luck now. "Don't call me that Bella," he purrs against my neck, nipping between words. "You should have gotten out of bed when I said to then Edward," I counter. He slides his knees between my thighs and forces them apart, "You're not getting off that easily angel. You know you hurt my feelings when you call me by my surname," he retorts while moving both of my wrists to one hand and running his newly free hand down my side. He knows that I could use my superior strength to get free if I really wanted to....he also knew that I would never want to. Crap. "Edward, we have to get ready for school," I breathlessly argue as I feel his lips graze my collarbone. He reaches under my shirt and tears my bra off. "I hate those fucking things," he snarls, "I swear I'm going to shred every fucking one you get from now on Bella." I shiver as his teeth graze my nipple through the thin tee shirt, "Edward," I moan, eyes closing as his fingers find my other one and begin gently rolling and twisting it. He presses his hardness against my center and I wordlessly moan hit time and my hips rise to meet his. "That's better," he mumbles into my captured peak.

And then I'm free and Edward is walking toward the closet, "Better get a move on angel," he chides over his shoulder, "We have to get ready for school. Don't want to be late the first day, do we?" I groan and fix my shirt before getting to my feet. "You are an evil, despicable monster Edward Cullen," I huff as I throw the remnants of my favorite bra in the wastebasket. His bronze haired head pokes out of the closet, crooked smile in place, "I did try to warn you about that angel," he taunts, "You are the one who wasn't smart enough to run away. Now you're stuck with me forever." I grab a handful of his hair so he can't escape, "So now I'm not smart because I'm in love with you?" I challenge. That perfect grin gets bigger, "Oh no, I'm not answering a loaded question like that Isabella Swan. I've seen Em stick his smelly-ass foot in his mouth too many times over shit like that to fall for it. Perks of being odd man out all those years. It gave me loads of time to learn what not to answer. Can I finish dressing now or did you change your mind about letting me ravish you before we have to leave?" I give him a look and release his messy locks, "Get dressed love. You can ravish me tonight." I hear a, "Woo-hoo!" from the closet as I put my sandals and walk into the bathroom.

Silly as it may seem, I still brush my teeth. It tastes awful, but the scent lingers for quite some time, thus giving me one more way to ensure I'm not tempted by human blood. Afterwards, I brush my hair out and pin the top of it back in a simple barrette. There, I still see features of human Bella in there. Most people will simply think I've taken interest in how I looked over the summer...at least I hope it's that tame. Nothing I can do about the amber eyes unless I want to go through six pairs of contacts in a day. Craptastic. I open the medicine cabinet and pull out the first pair. Over the summer, we'd experimented with different colors until Alice approved of a custom color, stating it was the closest I'd get without stealing my sister's eyes. I pull out five more pairs and take them out to my schoolbag, then stuff them in the bottom where I'm sure no one will find them unless they dump my entire bag out.

Edward plants a kiss on the side of my neck, "We have to go, Carlie and Jake's expecting us for breakfast, remember?" Edward was the one who had reinstated his and Carlie's morning ritual after her episode in Canada. I have to admit, it always seems to help her, so I simply nod. Steady, comfortable routines usually help those with stability issues. "Alright love, ready. Car or bike?" I inquire. He mulls it over a second, "We'll take the bike today. It's going to be cloudy, duh, but no damn rain. Alice checked. That means the pack and the Goth twins will take the bikes today." "Whatever you want dear," I laugh and go so sling my bag on my shoulder, but Edward grabs it, "Allow me," he implores. I relent with a kiss and we go down to his motorcycle.

Mischa and Allen are arguing in the living room when we arrive. They moved in after returning from the Canada trip. Their "parental units" were waiting for them with the police when they'd arrived home. They had immediately been given two options, sever all contact with the Swan twins and their friends or get out. The cousins had looked at each other, back to the irate parents, then doubled over laughing while saying they were glad to be getting kicked out because it saved them from having to think of an excuse to leave. They weren't even allowed in the house. Their things had already been packed and put into a moving truck. We had barely gotten Carlie asleep when we heard the truck rumbling up the drive. We didn't ask questions, just pointed to the two empty bedrooms and told them to pick one. Jake and I had sat with Carlie while the others swiftly brought their belongings in the house.

"Morning brats," I snicker as I follow the sounds of Leah and Seth talking in the kitchen. Seth and Leah still live on the reservation, but have transferred to Forks High, like Jacob, to be with their imprints. Leah's a senior, like me, but poor Seth is only a sophomore and complaining quite loudly about it at the moment. "You guys are so lucky, " he whines upon spotting Edward and me entering, "All of you get to be seniors together, including Jake. I've got two frikkin years to go if I can't test up by the end of the semester." Leah sits down her coffee cup, "That's bullshit Seth and you know it. Quil and Embry are juniors so you'll have someone here with you next year at least. No stop acting like you're five or I'm getting Allen to turn you lime green again." He blanches and redirects his attentions to his breakfast, grumbling that Leah wasn't the only one with a talented imprint. Leah studiously ignores him. She points a finger up, "Nessie's still getting ready. Our fearless Alpha is giving her a pep talk."

Just then, I can hear Carlie's boots move across the floor of her room. "We're on our way!" Jake calls down a moment later. I listen as they pause at the top of the stairs, ah, a kiss, then their muffled footfalls on the steps. Jacob leads Carlie in, then lets her pass by to get her mug of coffee. She mutters a "Morning" to everyone and scurries outside to sit with Edward. Jake chuckles as he pours himself a cup, "She's nervous about going back after everything that's happened, " he explains, "She made me promise she could wear her hoodie. We're going to have to keep a close eye on both of you today." He turns to me and leans against the counter, "You have everyones cell number's saved, right?" I produce my phone and hand it over for him to inspect, "Yeah, I put them all in last night." He quickly checks the list against his own, checking off the numbers in his head. "Good. We don't want anything to happen to you Bells. I know it's going to be rough having to deal with so many humans in such a close proximity. Human aversion or not, that's a lot of pumping hearts and hormones for an older vampire to be dealing with, let alone a newbie like yourself." I nod as he snaps my phone closed and hands it back. "I know Jake. I've memorized all the exits and, "I pat my pocket, "I have my doctor's note to be excused from class any time the necessity arises. Edward will walk me to my classes that he can and Alice will help with the others. Where is that pixie? She wasn't home this morning, I thought she'd just left earlier." Jake chuckles, "She's out back, in the pool, with Jasper, saying good-bye for the day, again. I wouldn't go back there unless you are a voyeur." " Or Emmett," Leah snickers and Seth blushes at the comment.

"Has Carlie eaten yet?" I ask. Jake nods, a slight frown tugging at his mouth, "She tried. Twice. It came back up in minutes both times. I'm starting to worry if that shit she's on isn't doing more harm than good Bells. Her stomach hurts all the time now and well..." he trails off, a slight blush blooming on his russet features. I just nod and pat his shoulder. He doesn't need to say more because we knew that a decreased libido could be a side effect of the medication. I know he would never take her off of it just because of his frustration in that area, he's too worried about her mental stability. We spend the next 20 minutes going over precautions and helping Leah and Seth get a good idea of what the school is like and how it's set up.

Alice bounds in, glowing with her trademark exuberance. "It's time!" she squeals as Jasper appears behind her, an amused smirk on his face. Edward and Carlie migrate in from the deck and she offers me a timid smile as she picks up her bag. Jake quickly snags it from her hand, "I'll carry that honey." She rolls her eyes but smiles and follows his every step as we make our way to the vehicles. Surprisingly, Alice has pulled out her bike for the occasion. It's a Ducati, like Edward's, but in her favorite color, yellow. She pulls on a black and yellow leather suit that reminds me of the movie Kill Bill, then does a pirouette for Jasper's inspection. He smiles appreciatively and produces her little black helmet. I pull on Edward's leather riding jacket and put on my own helmet. I could have bought my own jacket, but Edward had felt a certain pride when I had worn his jacket when he first took me for a ride on his bike and has insisted I wear it every time from that day forward. I climb on the back of the bike and wait for my fiance.

I see Jake wheeling out a black BMW K 1300 S motorcycle and pushes it over to Carlie, who already has her helmet on. The thing has a spiked mohawk on it! He gives her a kiss as he relinquishes the bike to her. She fearlessly climbs on and starts the bike, coaxing it to roar when she turns the throttle. Jake brings his out, an old Harley. His helmet is much like hers. Allen's bike is a custom job, OCC, I think. He's waiting for the rest of us, Leah already laying against his back. Quil and Embry's matching 2005 Honda Shadow VLX's kept roaring, their owners impatient to be off. Mischa and Seth are the only ones taking a car today. Mishca's newly acquired metallic black cherry 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby idled patiently while we readied. Edward winks as he straddles our bike and starts it. The vibrations send a shiver through me, reminding me of our night completely wrapped up in each other. Then we're off, riding around the Mustang as we barrel down the road to school.

No doubt we looked like a motorcycle gang when we pulled into the parking lot, but we didn't care. We were a family and we were together. Dysfunctional and mutli-species, but a real family nonetheless. As Edward helped me off of the bike, I couldn't help but remember when I saw him that day when I was sitting at the redlight by the shopping plaza and he'd looked my way. My human memories were difficult to hold on to, but I managed. "Edward, can I ask you a question?" I inquire as his arms winds its way around my waist. He smirks," Yes. No. To get to the other side. 1.77245-" I cut him off, "I don't want to know what the square root of pi is Edward. Do you remember seeing me in the truck at a redlight the one time you and the others were at the strip mall?" He chuckles and nods, "Yeah, you were holding up traffic, but you looked so damn adorable, I couldn't help but smile at you. I can't believe you remember that angel." I lean into him as we enter the building, "How could I not? You were like nothing I'd ever seen before or since Edward Cullen. I love you." He pulls me into a deserted hallway and pins me against the wall with a kiss. "You're going to be the death of me Isabella, but I love you too. More than anything," he whispers against my lips. We forgot trivial little things like school for a little while. I even managed to forget how bad the air smelled in here, reeking with humans as it circulated.

"Class Edward, " I mutter against his mouth when the bell rings above us. He grinds his hips into mine once with a groan before pulling away. "Come on angel, " he says, reaching for my left hand. I take it and feel him rub his fingers along my engagement ring from time to time while glaring at students. "That bad?" I ask in a voice only a werewolf or vampire could hear. He nods once, his lips in a tight line. "Want me to block them?" His eyes turn towards me, sad, angry, and frustrated eyes. He starts nodding yes then changes to a negative, "In case anyone needs me," he qualifies. "Okay love, but you have to relax. For me," I plead. He sighs and nods, "Bella, you could hear what they're thinking, if you chose but please don't. Some things are so vile and black that I want to just fucking rip them to pieces for thinking that way about you!" I squeeze his hand to reassure him, "I'm not breakable anymore love, but thank you for being my eternal champion." He relaxes at the words, "Any time love," then he smiles, "I'm not gong to know what to do with myself now, I won't be busy trying to keep you alive because of your damn clumsiness. Might have to scare up a van or two and set you up in the parking lot just so we can keep things a bit normal." I smack his arm as we sit down at our desks, "What would you do if the drivers started following me around like Tyler did after the last one?" He rolls his eyes, "I'd simply have to kill them, my love." I was never so happy that the conversation couldn't be heard by humans as I was the moment the words left his lips.

The bell rings and I finally look around to see Leah sitting a few seats away, looking at us sideways with a huge grin on her face. She reaches up and touches her temple before lightly scratching her cheek. I catch the hint. *_What's up Leah?_* I ask. A barely perceptible shrug *_Just wanted to say hi. Calm my nerves a bit. I about shredded a girl by Allen's locker. Bitch wouldn't stop staring at him like he was a piece of meat!_* I grin *_I understand exactly how you feel dear. If it helps, wink at her and tell her 'Yeah, that's right. You might look, but it's me he takes home._* She covers her laugh with a cough *Y_eah, I think I'll try that. He's meeting me after class and the stupid bitch already mentioned they had Anatomy together. She'll get so mad! I can't wait! Thanks Bells!_* I disguise my own grin with my hand *_Any time __hun__. Oh, the answer is oxymoron_.* "Oxymoron, " she says aloud, answering the teachers question. He seems satisfied of her attention and moves on with the lesson.

By the time lunch rolls around, I come to the realization that I can do this, the whole school routine. I miss Emmett, Rose, and Jasper when we sit outside at our usual tables, but the inclusion of Leah and Seth to our little gang helps lessen the emotion. Everyone is chattering at top speed, I feel like I'm sitting at a table full of Alice's. Well, I'm actually sitting on the table, with Edward on the bench between my knees, head resting against my belly. Carlie and Jake still haven't made an appearance. I lean down to Edward, "Where's Carlie and Jake? Shouldn't they be here already?" At the mention of it, everyone looks around for the missing duo. Quil laughs and jerks his head to the right, "They just went around the side of the building, holding hands. I think they might be looking for a quiet place to do the nasty. Anyone up for coitus interruptus?" We laugh and split up, keeping in contact through texts.

When I find them, Carlie is apologizing emphatically to Allen, who is sitting on the concrete while holding his nose. I smell the blood and the flame in my throat flares. I stop breathing and try to will the thirst back. I close my eyes, fighting my body to freeze in place instead of dropping into the instinctive predatory pose. "Stay back Bella!" Jake warns and clamps his hand over my mouth and nose, pinning my body to his. *Edward I need you!* I push the thought out, fighting the panic from being held by a werewolf. In a few seconds, I feel him pick me up and rush me off in another direction.

I keep my eyes firmly shut and hold my breathe until Edward stops and lowers us to the ground. He holds me in his lap, tight to his chest, "Breathe and open your eyes Bella," he commands and I immediately oblige. We're in the woods behind the school. I can't even look at my perpetual savior, shame overtakes me. "I'm sorry Edward," I mutter into his chest, "I thought I was stronger. I almost ruined everything." He puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face, "You didn't fuck up angel. The exact opposite. Instead of hunting, you stopped breathing and locked your muscles to fight your instinct to hunt, to feed. You did really fucking amazing, my love. I've never seen anyone fight it so well, especially a newborn. You have more control than vampires decades or even centuries old have. I know, I've seen it." I twist myself as to straddle his lap. "Really?" I ask. He nods solemnly, "Yes Bella, I swear to you. You did wonderfully and I'm so goddamn proud I could just fucking explode!" I begin sliding out of his lap and his arms tighten, "Where do you think you're going?" he inquires. I shrug a shoulder, "I figured I'd get out of your lap so you didn't explode or anything." He gives me a look and kisses the tip of my nose, "You are absurd Bella." I plunge my fingers into his bronze hair, "I think we need to get back, lunch is almost over." He smirks, amber eyes flickering between my mouth and back to my own contact-laden orbs, "Or, we could just go home and make love all afternoon. No one would be upset if I took you home after what happened angel." I shake my head, smiling, "No Edward. I have to do this now or I'll be too scared to come back tomorrow. Besides, everyone will be worried." He give me a martyred expression, but releases his grip on my waist.

We walk back at human speed, letting our joined hands swing between us as we made our way back to the school. Our reappearance at our tables coincides with the bell signalling the end of lunch, successfully thwarting anyones chance to question us. Edward, Jake, and I have English next so we walk together after dropping Carlie off to her Art class. "Feeling alright now Bells?" Jake inquires after we get seated. I smile, "Much. Thanks for saving my butt and Allen's life in one fell swoop Jake." He pats my shoulder, "No problem sis. I'll always be here for you." The teacher enters soon after and Edward and I do our best to keep Jake up to speed on the work that is handed out.

Jake bolts out of his seat and out the door as soon as the bell ring. "In a bit of a hurry our Jake is," I comment as Edward slings my bag on his shoulder and takes my hand. He snickers, "I think he's afraid Carli is going to kill someone, namely Lauren." I chuck and eyebrow, "Why? What happened?" He bites his lip, a habit picked up from me, I'm assuming, then sighs, "She's the reason Jake was hauling Carlie off someplace quiet during lunch. Lauren was making doe eyes at Jacob during Calculus." I stop, "Oh shit. We have to save Lauren." I pull him forward, breaking into a run at human speed. I weave through the students lithely, looking for my wayward sister.

We come around the corner to the hall leading towards Carlie's class and come upon a sight. Lauren has Jake's body pinned up against the lockers and her lips locked against his lips. He pushes her thin frame across the hall, causing her to bounce off of the lockers just as a shriek of pure rage erupts behind and and is cut off by something. I turn and see Edward holding Carlie, his hand over her mouth. She's fighting him with all of her strength, trying to get free. "Carlie!" Jake yells and sprints to her, safely pinning her struggling form between himself and my fiance. "See, I told you she was a complete whacko," Lauren gloats as her friends surround her, "she needs to be put in the loony bin before she kills someone." I turn to her, hands clenched at my sides, "Lauren, you'd better go before my sister and I kick the shit out of you like we did last year," I warn. She gives me a smug grin, "Go for it Swan, and I'll make sure both of you freaks end up expelled." "Oh, and how are you going to do that Mallory?" I hear Mischa's voice as she comes down the hall, "That would mean you taking the chance of someone finding out that you're fucking Mr. Helios on the school board and you don't want that, do you?" Lauren's face pales, "I-I don't know what you are talking about Fat--Mischa," she retorts. Mischa cocks and eyebrow and folds her arms to her chest as she leans against the wall, "I'm sure you don't Skankalicious, now get the fuck out of my face before I decide to fucking cripple you, your little harem of whores, and go ahead and hand over the video tape of you taking it up the ass in Mr. Helio's office to every news station in the area."

I don't think I've ever seen a human run so fast in their life, the way Lauren and her friends dash out of there. "I hate fucking skanks like that," Mischa growls, "They make me want to clean myself and every other girl I know in bleach." She shudders and walk over to a stilled but still snarling Carlie. She places her hands on either side of Carlie's face and makes Carlie look at her. "Get your shit together Carlie Elizabeth Swan," Mischa commands, "Just because you get a little fucking jealous of the ho parade doesn't give you the right to threaten exposing us all. I love you and know you are having a really hard time sweetheart, but you gotta fucking pull yourself together or we are all going to pay for it. Got it?" Carlie's eye tear up as she nods and lets herself go limp between our boys.

Edward relinquishes control of her arms to Jake who scoops her up into his arms, "Baby, I love you, "he whispers over and over into her ear as he holds her. "We have class to get to," I inform the group, "but if you want to take her home Jake, we'll cover for you." Jake nods and starts towards the exit, but Carlie's head snaps up, "No! We have to go to class. If we don't, they'll start keeping a closer eye on all of us and we can't have that, not the first day." "Are you sure Nessie?" I ask. She nods emphatically, "I'm sure we don't want to draw any more attention that I've already managed." Edward and I exchange a look and he nods. "Okay Carlie, but if you need to go, just go," I get her bag and hand it to Jake, "Love you guys," I add and head back to Edward so she doesn't need to struggle to answer.

We make it the rest of the day without incident, luckily. We all meet in the parking lot, glad we have made it through the first day of school in one piece. Everyone decides to meet at Carlie's place to do homework simply because it is a good middle ground between the Cullen estate and the reservation. Of course we have to race on the way home, resurrecting yet another tradition. Edward and I win, but not by much. Mishca's car has a lot more power than I gave it credit for.

Halfway through the evening, Carlie's phone starts ringing non-stop. She excuses herself from the people strewn across her living room and walks outside each time. She looks more angry each time she comes back in. "What's the matter?" I finally ask as her phone rings once again. She sheks her head, "Fucking Lauren and her henchbitches," she grumbles and storms out the front door, phone at her ear. She doesn't come back for a while and I'm beginning to worry when I hear Jake's Challenger roar to life and take off down the drive. We all collectively cry out "Oh shit!" as we burst into action. "Where is she going?" I ask Edward as we race down to the bike. "I don't know, she won't answer her phone," he responds, starting the bike. The back tires spins a second before catching traction and throwing us forward. I hit speed dial #1 on my phone, "Come on Carlie," I urge as it rings. After four rings it goes to voice mail. "Carlie, whatever you're doing, please stop, I'm begging you," I plead repeatedly until it cuts off. As soon as I hang up, it rings. Jacob's number pops up on the screen. "Where's she going Jake?" I ask as I answer. I hear him growl, "That bitch or one of her friends put that fucking kiss Lauren put on me on You Tube Bella. I think Carlie is going to kill her."

"Oh shit."

**Okay people, you know what time it is!!!!!**

**REVIEW OR DIE! I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE READING MY STORY AND NOT GIVING ME FEEDBACK. IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO READ, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH TO TAKE THE TIME AND REVIEW!**

**FOR THOSE WHO ARE REVIEWING.... I HEART YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	30. Part 30 Fighting Again?

**Stephenie Meyer owns all Twilight stuff...other people own the rest of the copyrighted shit I borrow in an effort to be less pathetic....**

**M...this chapter is for you my friend. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Rob Zombie- Girl On Fire**

Yeah, I am the super-eye A blackened dream a golden eye Trapped in a fantasy A silent clown, a villain see

Mongrels of pinball filth Electric shrines to boogey tilt Dying is to get her way Get it, get it, she want it, she want it

Yeah, she's on fire That girl's on fire Burn me up, burn me up

She's on fire That girl's on fire Burn me up, burn me up

Yeah, get going under ground A raven hood a blanket sound (Save?) thee and aggravate A ravaging, a frozen slate

Time square in outer space I kick the move right in your face Satanic fantasies Get it, she want it

She's on fire That girl's on fire Burn me up, burn me up

She's on fire That girl's on fire Burn me up, burn me up

He is a megaman A electric spark a desperate man Track down to run away Live to kill another day

Mongrels of pinball filth Electric shrines to boogey tilt Dying is to get her way Get it she want it

She's on fire That girl's on fire

**Part 30**

**Fighting Again?**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

The goddamn cell phone won't stop ringing. I'm getting calls from people I don't even know, asking me if it was true that Jake and I broke up because Lauren said he kissed her today in school. I kept walking outside, not wanting my family to be witness to my further shame. It was the last call that got to me. Bella's friend Angela called me, in tears, and told me that Jake and Lauren's kiss was on You Tube. I fucking lost it. I I'm going to deal with that little bitch once and for all. I already had my set of keys for Jake's car in my pocket, so I ran down the steps and was racing down the driveway before anyone could stop me.

I'm less than five miles from Forks when I hear a pop and the car tires to throw itself off the road. Fucking great. I pull off onto the shoulder and get out to inspect what damage I'd done to Jake's pride and joy. Phew, it's only a flat tire. I look around briefly before making the decision to walk. I stalk off into the woods because cutting through will shorten the distance by half. "Fucking Lauren Mallory putting her dirty ass lips on the only fucking thing that means anything to me in the world," I grumble as I trek through the greenery.

"Oh my goodness, what do we have here?" A familiar, lightly french accented, masculine voice interrupts my visions of tearing Lauren to pieces.

It's a voice that makes my blood turn cold.

Laurent.

I turn towards the direction his voice came from and my nightmares are confirmed. His red eyes are wide with surprise. "Well, it's very nice to see at least one of you survived, " he finally states, sounding strangely genuine. He takes a small step towards me and the ache in my chest becomes a fire. "I want you to know that I didn't approve of his methods of...persuasion," Laurent confesses. I finally find my voice, "Why are you here?" I croak, the fire becoming a raging inferno inside of me. He smiles, "Passing through my dear. I have found a wonderful coven that suits me. The problem is that they don't approve of the consumption of human blood so sometimes I cheat." I take a deep breath, forcing myself not to run, "Cheat? You're here to feed?" He shakes his head, smile never faltering, "No, dear little Swan, I fed in California and was on my way home. I would have been miles away if you hadn't smelled so..." he inhales deeply, "Mouthwatering." I take a step back, he mirrors my action. "Dear, look at it this way, at least it will be quick and painless, nothing like what James and Victoria had planned for you," he qualifies. I trip over a branch and fall to my knees, "Please don't do this," I implore, "It's not just my life at stake. I wouldn't care if it was just me, I wouldn't have anything to lose. Please, I beg you." I can feel the hot tears running down my face, the pain in my chest nearly unbearable. His face fall into a mask of remorse, "I wish I could, but your blood, it's intoxicating. I remember how it tastes, I can't ignore it any longer," he replies and then lunges at me. The fire in my chest explodes out of my outstretched hands, slamming into Laurent. He's repelled at least 30 feet backwards, crashing into a massive tree.

The pain in my body and mind has dissipated.

I can feel the power coursing through me.

My magic has returned.

**Freedom.**

I jump to my feet, rage overtaking my senses, months of living a nightmare finally having an outlet. I can feel the malicious smirk on my face as I stalk after the startled vampire. "Burst!" I command his left arm. A high pitched keening fills the area as his arms shatters. "To the pain Laurent, "I promise as I repeat the action with his right leg. A feral snarl escapes my lips as I have the trees ensnare and lift the crippled vampire. I force tendrils of wood to pierce his skin and weave their way through him. I throw my head back, laughing with vindictive glee. "You have no idea how long I've waited for you," I purr as his screams reach new levels when the tendrils begin rooting deeply in his torso. His burgundy eyes plead with me, "M-m-mercy," he begs. I laugh, "Not today." I will the branches to pull him apart. He explodes into thousands of pieces, each one bursting into flames as the fall to the mossy ground."Poor Laurent," I muse, "Wrong place, wrong time. Wrong bitch."

Suddenly I'm surrounded by giant wolves, frantic vampires, and two really pissed off humans. I put my hands on my hips and turn to them calmly.

"You're late," I chide.

"What the fuck just happened Carlie?!" Bella screams, eyes wide with fright and confusion. I glance at the shower of sparks floating behind me, "Oh, that? I just blew up Laurent," I state. "What?!" Bella cries. I roll my eyes, "Bella, if you don't stop with the fucking screaming, I'm going to duct tape your mouth shut." Jake nudges me, pressing his large mass to my body. _*Are you alright?*_ he thinks. I run my hands through the red-brown fur, "I'm fine sweetheart. It doesn't hurt anymore," I confess aloud. It's true. It's not just like I've been healed, but like there was never a wound in the first place.

Bella grabs my arm, "What doesn't hurt anymore Carlie?" she pleads, "Please tell me before I explode." I pat her arm and stop fighting the smile that wants to take over my face, "I'm finally free Bella. All of the pain, it's gone." I burst into laughter, revelling in its echo in the clearing. "I'm free!" I shout, raising my arms to the sky, "Finally free!" The laughter completely takes me as I embrace my startled vampire sister, then rush to hug my family, most of whom are frozen in a state of shock. At some point I hear Mischa and Allen say in a single voice, " 'Bout fucking time."

I climb up onto my werewolf, "Is the tire fixed on the car?" I ask. Everyone nods. I wave my hand in a beckoning gesture, "Good. Now let's go fuck Lauren's day up!" Jake takes the cue and launches himself into the forest, leaving our family standing, confused at the sudden return of Carlie Swan.

We race back to the car, where Jake phases as I toss him a pair of jeans from the trunk. "Where are we going Carlie?" Jake asks as we get in the car. I put the keys in the ignition and start the Challenger, "We're going home Jake," I answer, "This revenge shit needs a good plan to totally skull fuck Lauren and her bitch friends." He chuckles,"There's my girl." He plants a kiss on my cheek then his lips tremble against my skin, "I missed you so much." I shrug and smile, "Better late then never wolfy." He laughs and turn the stereo up as the speedometer reaches 110 mph.

We slide the car to a stop in front of the house just as the rest of the family runs into the yard. I shake my head with mock sadness, "Late again my brethren. You're getting lazy. Good thing I know the perfect remedy for your complacency." I start walking up the stairs to the house. "What's the remedy?" Edward inquires, bounding up the steps behind us. I smirk and wink at him, "When we get into the house big brother. Just make sure you keep your hands to yourself long enough for my sister to hear my plan as well." Cheers erupt from the yard as Jake and I enter the house.

Carlisle and Esme swoop down upon us as we reach the living room. "Are you alright Carlie?" Esme inquires anxiously as she hugs me. I nod, "Yes. I'm fine. Better than fine. I feel fantastic!" Carlisle looks me over with a fatherly yet critical eye. "What changed dear? I can feel it." I give him a smile so big it has to take up my entire face, "I'm free Carlisle. I was on my way to kick the shit out of Lauren when the car got a flat. I got more pissed and started tromping through the woods to get to town and came across Laurent. He attacked and my magic came back." His eyebrows raise until they nearly meet his hairline, "It came back?" he asks in an astonished voice. I give an emphatic nod, "Yes it did! Then I killed Laurent while, " I point a thumb towards our family," they tried to catch up." He pulls me into his strong arms, "I'm so happy for you my daughter! You have finally retrieved your missing piece!" I hug him back with equal enthusiasm, glad to feel whole once more.

Once everyone settles into their places in the living room, we get to work, arguing over plans and ideas. I push for subtle pranks for the beginning and having them get progressively worse until we get to a big finale.

That night Allen and Leah went off to Seattle to buy the "props" for our first prank on Lauren and her friends. I didn't know the extend of their purchases until 5 am when Jake and I were woken up by Bella's voice, warning us to be up in two minutes before the evil Tinkerbell could get to us. I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face if I'd wanted to. I felt like myself again. I'd also accepted in those critical moments the day before that even though I couldn't look as Bella as my twin anymore, I could still look at her and love her as my sister. Jake chucks an eyebrow at me while I pull on one of his black tee shirts but I simply shrug, "I'm happy." His face lit up like Christmas when the words came out of my mouth. He catapults himself across the room and envelops me in his huge arms, "I love you Carlie," he breathes against my lips. I don't get a chance to respond since his lips were on mine, his tongue begging for entrance to my mouth. I didn't fight. I eagerly let him in.

The door bangs open and we didn't part as Alice began chattering, "Come on you two, we have lots of packages to get open and stuff to get loaded!" She stomps her foot,"We have to get this done before people start showing up at school!" Jake and I burst out laughing, "Did you just stomp your foot?" Jake asks, "I thought you only saw that on bad television shows." She crosses her arms in a pout and sticks her tongue out at him, "You're so mean Jacob Black, "she accuses. He pulls me with him and musses her hair as we walk by, "Aww, you wouldn't know what to do if I stopped picking on you shorty." She gives him a look, "Bad wolfy. I ought to give you a flea bath." I chortle, "Too late, he's already had it for the week sis." She drops her head for a moment, then pops up and bounces out the door behind us.

We get downstairs and stop dead at the mess strewn across the living room. Plastic packages are everywhere and our siblings are cutting them open, removing the items and tossing them into different piles while the packages get thrown into another, ever growing heap. Mischa and Allen are sitting on one of the couches drinking coffee, "Morning!" they cheer in a single voice. I take in the insanity as we make our way across the mine field, "What the hell is all of this Allen? Did you and Leah buy out a whole fucking store? I thought we were just going to put them in her locker?" He nods, evil grin plastered to his features, "That was the original plan until Leah thought it would be a good idea to wait until class starts and then the vamps go out and cover her car with them too while one of us shield them from getting caught. I couldn't resist!"

Jake sits beside Allen and pulls me into his lap, "Who is going to be filming?" he asks. Mischa chuckles, "Jasper. He's going to hide up in one of the trees from a good vantage point to get reactions from everyone, beginning to end. That little gem also covers all of our asses when it comes to the blame game. Jasper's supposed to be in Seattle so they won't even consider him. Just make sure your cell is charged so we can all get pictures. We won't stand out on that one because I figure the whole school will be taking pictures." Edward comes in with mugs of coffee for Jake and I, "Besides, Lauren has just been trying to find the perfect plan to be the most popular girl in school," he explains, " we're actually doing her a favor and helping her achieve that status." We all nod sagely. Bella and Alice bound in, "We have an idea!" they squeal. When did my sister start squealing? I shake the thought off, "What?" They give each other a conspiratorial look before Alice gushes, "Let glue them to the car!" Edward closes his eyes while pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger yet he's fighting a smile, "Girls, we have a matter of minutes to pull this off and you want to waste more time by gluing them to the car?" The girls nod. He snorts a chuckle and shakes his head, "Whatever my girls want, they get. This time." Everyone cheers then gets to amending the plan.

We wait for Embry, Quil, and Seth to arrive before taking off. We park the cars a few blocks away and walk through the woods with our duffel bags. Mischa, Jasper, and I are going to be taking care of Lauren's locker while the others work on her goons lockers. It doesn't take long to the little space crammed with the props, especially with two witches and a vampire doing the work. We rush out when we're finished, meeting with the others where the vehicles are stowed. It's pouring down rain by the time we get loaded and drive to school. We park in our usual spots, not drawing attention from the other students. We've become the gang that everyone avoids, unless they're gawking at us. I'm sitting on the trunk of Jake's car, getting a smoke in before school, when Edward tackles Jake against the car, covering Jake's mouth with his hand and mock kissing him. Jake catches on and begins pawing Edward in return. Across the lot from us is a group of freshmen, who are staring at our little band of misfits while our boys grope and moan at one another. I smack them both, "That's enough you two. Any more and you're going to need to get a room." I roll my eyes at Bella, "Oh, the glory of first love, huh?" She smirks and nods, "Yeah, who would've thought it would take us making them admit how they feel about each other?"

"Unfuckingbelievable," Mischa spits as she grinds out her cigarette, "Ho Patrol, 9 o'clock." I look in that direction to see Lauren and her group dressed even sluttier than usual and they are attempting what they probably think is a sexy strut as they stop in front of us. "What the fuck do you want?" Edward hisses as he pulls Bella into his arms, "I hope it isn't for volunteers for your necrophilia web site. We don't swing that way." We snicker at the contradictory statement, making Lauren's face turn a really ugly shade of red. "Actually I was going to ask Carlie about what she thought about her boyfriend kissing me yesterday." It's my turn to snort out a laugh, "Little girl, we all know that you tried to rape my boyfriend in the hall yesterday. Hell, even your little You Tube video can prove that. Oh, and I wouldn't suggest trying it out on Edward next, bitch, it would just prove how pathetic and desperate you are." She rolls her eyes, "And how do you know that I did that You Tube video?" I shrug, "Because you and your bimbo brigade are the only sluts at Forks High School dumb enough to still try and fuck with the boyfriends of the Swan girls. Really Lauren, come on. I know you've had so much donkey sperm pumped up your ass to last the next century or so, and it's affected your ability to think, but are you going to tell me you are really fucking stupid enough to believe that Edward, Jacob, or anyone else in this group would ever touch you?" A look of pure hatred takes over her features, "I don't know who the hell the two of you think you are, but when my dad has Jake charged with attempted sexual assault, I doubt you idiots will be laughing then." Bella laughs, "Yeah, I'm sure the town whore is going to have a lot of pull getting that one to go through with the police Lauren. It's well documented how much you have harassed my fiance and my sisters boyfriend, not to mention your passes at Allen, Quil, Embry, and even Seth. Go ahead and pull your shit Lauren, just realize one thing." What's that?" Lauren snaps. We all get sweet smiles on our faces when Edward answers, "We have better lawyers. Now get out of here before I call the Center of Disease Control to investigate the nasty smell you've got coming out of your crotch." Her and her group storm off and we stealthily follow. None of us want to miss what's coming next.

Bella and I have lockers in the same hallway as Lauren, so we go to our lockers and pretend to be getting book out while watching out of the corners of our eyes. Lauren pulls open her locker and is knocked to the floor by our little props. People begin screaming and laughing as Lauren is covered in dildos, vibrators, and anal plugs of all shapes, sizes, and colors. I can hear the chorus of beeps and clicks as hundreds of pictures are taken, preserving the moment forever. I, of course, join in on the fun. Teachers come running and are horror struck at the sight before them, then hurry to break up the crowd with threats of detention to make things go faster. We hurry along ourselves, not wanting detention, obviously. We also now have to move onto the next step.

Our plans get thwarted when Lauren and her three friends parents show up for an emergency meeting, then send the girls home for the remainder of the day. We had gotten them all simultaneously which, in itself, was priceless. The teachers have almost no control over the student body that day. The police had come to investigate and I nearly fainted I was laughing so hard, watching bag after bag full of sex toys being carried through the halls and out to the cruisers.

Edward informs us as lunch that Lauren and her groupies were trying to pin the whole thing on Bella and I, stating it was because we were jealous of the attention our boyfriends gave her. Allen laughs, "Well, isn't it going to be a shock when all of those purchases go right back to Lauren's credit card?" Mischa snickers, "Yeah, and she's not going to be able to explain where she was last night unless she's willing to tell everyone about her and Mr. Helio's little fling." Allen kisses his girlfriend, who giggles, "And this one thought up the most incriminating evidence of all. Lauren herself on security tape buying it all. Gods, I love illusions." Alice skips up and folds herself neatly into her chair. "Jasper's heading home since the rest of the plan is scrapped for now, "she whispers, "He has the rest of the bags and is going to store them until we get another opportunity." The rest of the lunch conversation is turns to other subjects, mainly what the rest of us are going to do this weekend when the vampires go "camping". We decide on a sleepover at my house. Quil mentions paintball, Mischa wants to actually go camping, Embry says four-wheelers, Allen offers the movies, Leah brings up shopping, and Seth makes some noise about going swimming while it's still warm enough. I ask Jake about maybe inviting the other pack over and he agrees happily while pulling out his cell to phone Sam.

Things aren't completely worked out by the time the bell rings for class, but we agree to work it all out when Sam and his group come over for dinner tonight. Bella and I decide to make dinner for everyone, opting to ditch our last class to go grocery shopping so we can feed two packs of werewolves and the three humans.

We meet at Edward's Lancer and hop in with huge grins on our faces. I notice quickly that my sister drives a lot like her fiance nowadays. The thought makes me chuckle. She cocks and eyebrow at me, "What?" I light a menthol and roll down the window, "Nothing really. Just realizing that you drive a lot like your crazy fiance. You used to be terrified of driving at high speeds. Now look at you, going 120 mph just to get to Wal-Mart." She snickers and shrugs, "It's not about the speed Nessie. My reflexes are so much faster that I don't even think about how fast I'm going. I prefer running when it comes to speed anyway. There's nothing like it." I nod, "That's how it feels when I'm on Jake's back and he's bolting full speed through the forest. It feels like flying." I turn to her, "You're doing better today. Bloodlust under control?" She exhales noisily, then nods, "Yeah. I thought I'd failed miserably, but according to them, I did better than any of them. Edward said I'm running head to head with Carlisle with being resistant. Carlisle doesn't even have the bloodlust anymore though so I think he's just saying it to make me feel better." I nod thoughtfully, "Hey, at least you did control yourself. I would hate to think of what Leah would have done if you ate her imprint, no matter how much he annoys her at times." She laughs and we settle into the first comfortable silence between us since our abduction.

When we get home, we get to work preparing the massive amount of food. Bella turns on the stereo and we dance and goof around as we work, sisters being sisters. Halfway through, our family begins arriving. Of course they have to wander through the kitchen to spy on our progress but are soon chased out by Bella. I have to admit, as a vampire, Bella Swan is a force to be reckoned with. She scares me in those moments almost as much as Alice does when it's shopping time. Jake and Edward brave risking her wrath to come and offer their assistance. Not surprisingly, she accepts and soon has them to work on the grill with the hot dogs and burgers. I work on the macaroni salad and corn while Bella focuses on the pies, salsa, and buffalo chicken dip. When Sam and his pack arrive, Emily escapes with Jasper, Leah and Mischa, who are in the library with their laptops playing Warcraft. Alice is in the sunroom with her laptop, planning another redecoration of her and Jasper's room while everyone else is outside in the rain, playing football.

When dinner is nearly done, I yell out the door for the boys to get cleaned up for dinner. I'm so glad to have tankless water heaters suddenly because otherwise showering the army with hot water for all of them would be impossible. Carlisle and Esme show before the guys are all finished, hugging all of us before settling in the living room to watch Allen and Seth kicking the shit out of each other on the X-Box.

Once everyone is clean and eating, the four cooks finally get their chance to get bathed and join in on the conversation. I reach the living room with my plate in time to hear the gang finish retelling the tale of our little bout of revenge on Lauren and her troop. Esme giggles like a teenager and even Carlisle is hard pressed not to lose is composure. The only thing they ask of us is not to pull anything that would get someone physically injured. We agree wholeheartedly. The point isn't injury, it's humiliation. We don't bother explaining that part.

Agreements are made about the weekends activities as well. We're going to go camping, swimming, and probably four-wheeling while our vampires go hunting, then stop at a mall just outside of Seattle on our way home Sunday evening. I try to convince Jake to go home and spend time with his dad that night. He only concedes when I promise to call if I start feeling strange again. He leaves with the rest of the wolves when everybody goes home for the night. Once Mischa and Allen are asleep, I grab my sketchbook, smokes, and coffee then go out onto the deck. Sleep will evade me tonight. I'm not surprised. You put so much time into training yourself not to sleep and you get used to it. I'm not very tired and don't want to crawl into the king sized bed alone. I'd miss Jake too much and I didn't trust that empty feeling not to come back. Not yet. I know my family is also waiting for the zombie to return. Two nights and a day isn't enough to consider me cured, after all.

I sketch for a few hours, then give up and start cleaning the house while listening to music. I feed the fish and scrub the enormous tank after that, then move on to laundry. If any member of my famly saw this, they would worry because it's my normal nightly routine. I know I've been checked on multiple times during the night, but I don't dwell on it, knowing that it's done because they care. When Edward appears out of nowhere and starts helping me fold laundry, I can't help but grin. He's the only one I've been able to almost talk to about everything, aside from Jacob, and not be judged. When we're done with the laundry, we move to the kitchen to make breakfast.

As soon as breakfast is laid out for the family, my almost brother grabs me a plate of food, then instructs me to get my cup of coffee and the paper before meeting him in the sunroom. I follow him in, taking residence up on one of the couches nestled amongst the foliage. After I finish eating, I end up with Edward's head in my lap as we peruse the newspaper. "Geez you two, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were a happy little couple, "Jacob laughs as he comes in to refill my empty mug. "Oh Jacob, you know I only want you," Edward retorts as he playfully swats at my werewolf. Jacob gets a look of outrage on his face, "I can't believe you Edward! Cheating on me with a-a-a human! How could you do this to me?" Edward wraps his arms around my waist, "I'm sorry Jake, it's just so hard to find someone so mentally damaged this day and age. She's my kind of crazy and I can't stay away from her. She smells perfect to me. Cigarettes, Adderall, and coffee, " Edward shivers, "Yum." Jake slaps Edward's leg, "You cheating bitch! I'm just going to run of with Bella then!" He turns and storms out the door, "Bella! You're fiance is cheating on me with your sister again!" Bella appears in the doorway, grinning from ear to ear,"Okay you little trollops, time to get ready for school. Edward, stop molesting my sister before I slap you senseless." He frees my waist and sits up, "But Bella, she was groping me!" Bella rolls her eyes, "Yeah, I'm sure Mr. Big and Bad Vampire can't defend himself against one little horny human girl. Chop chop Cullen, or we're going to be late." Edward gives me a peck on the cheek and launches himself after his fiancee, "What did you call me?" he growls as he disappears. I hear my sister start squealing from the living room as I get up to find my Jacob.

As I grab my bag, I'm scooped up by a set of very large arms, "Good morning sweetheart," Jake greets me in a husky voice before sealing his lips to mine. When the overwhelming need to breathe separates us, I lay my head against his muscular chest and inhale his woodsy scent. " Love you," I whisper breathlessly. He buries his face in my hair, "Love you more." Suddenly he throws me over his shoulder, "Time for school Nessie!" he chuckles and carries me down to the car. I'm kicking and hitting and cursing at him the entire time. He sets me upright on the hood of his car, "What the hell are you throwing a fit about?" he inquires. I point at my bare feet, "Jake, how can I go to school like this?" He blushes lightly, "Oops. Hold on. I can fix this." He darts up the stairs, skipping every other step as he goes. Snickering and sidling erupts around me as I smoke my menthol and wait for my boyfriend to arrive with my shoes. After multiple calls informing him how late we're going to be, my Jacob jumps off the porch, my black studded sandals in hand and a triumphant grin on his face. "See? I told you I could fix this," he smirks as he thoughtfully slides my feet into the shoes. He kisses the tip of my nose and helps me off the car, "Now come on, we're late." I roll my eyes and slide into the car. Jake shuts my door, then runs around the car and climbs in the window. I look at him like he's a madman, but he just grins maniacally as the Challenger growls to life and lunges forward.

We're the last to arrive, but not late for school by any means. Our gang is gathered around Mischa's Mustang, no doubt planning something. I hop up on Jake's back and we go to investigate. "We have to use Christmas lights that ply music," Allen is explaining, "then we could wrap them around all the props glued to it." Alice giggles, "But how are we going to power them?" Seth raises a hand, "We hook them up to the battery Ali. We're destroying the car anyways so we don't have to worry about draining it." Edward laughs, "Speaking of, I haven't seen Slut Bomb and her band o' Ho's yet, has anyone else?" Quil gives Edward a look, "What's a Slut Bomb?" Edward chuckles and puts his arm around the werewolf's shoulders, "A Slut Bomb is someone who has taken so many cream pies that they are going to explode in a nasty bout of white sticky shit at any moment. I wouldn't recommend being in the near vicinity when it happens or you're going to look like one of those poor girls at the receiving end of a massive circle jerk." Quil's eyes look like they're going to pop out their sockets, "Oh. " He shivers, "Gross!" We all burst into another round of raucous laughter.

"You know Edward," Bella finally says, "there's a nasty rumor going around that says you used to be a gentleman." He smiles at her, "I can still be a gentleman, when someone deserves it. I spent nearly a century being polite and mannerly, my love, always so careful and considerate. It was a hollow, unfulfilling existence. Right before we decided to move here, I decided that I was going to pursue my happiness for once and not worry about what others thought." "And then you had to meet a certain Swan and mess up all of your plans, " Alice teases and promptly dances out of the way as he tries to elbow her. The bell rings and we break off to be torutred by banality once more.

When Jake and I make it to our tables for lunch, Bella and Alice are engrossed in a whispered argument while the others chatter freely. "What are they arguing about?" I ask Jake while opening my Code Red. He tilts his head, listening. "You and Bella's birthday party," he announces with a shrug. I feel my stomach drop through my shoes. I had completely forgotten about it. "Hey, you okay Carlie?" Edward asks, breaking me from my thoughts. I shake the fog from my head, "Yeah, I just forgot that it was so soon, you know? I'll be fine, don't worry about me." I give him my best smile and hope that he drops it. With everything that has changed in the past few days, it didn't stop the fact that I would officially be older than Bella in a few short days. I would be eighteen and she never would be. The ghost of the hole stirs slightly and I stagger to my feet, "I'm going to go outside for a smoke guys, be back in a few," I croak and slink out before the inevitable questions started getting fired.

I make my way to Jake's car and sit on the front. I pull out my wrinkled pack and light a smoke, using my crouched form to keep it dry. I know the pain isn't what it used to be, but I still needed to be alone for a little while. I know Bella hated birthday parties, maybe she could talk Alice out of throwing one this year, giving us both more time to adjust and get used to the fact that only one of us was aging now. "Penny for your thoughts?" Edward asks, lighting his own cigarette. I flick my ash and sigh, "It took me by surprise, that's all." He gives me a look, "Bullshit. Spill it." I look up at him, "Why can't you just leave it be for a little while?" He sits down and wraps an arm around me, "Because, you stubborn little human, aside from the love of my existence, you are my best friend and I fucking worry about you. I'm not going to throw my hands up and say 'fuck it' because shit gets difficult. Besides, I promised Jake I'd get it out of you so he didn't come running down here, furploding or something." I chuckle and relax against him, "Best friend huh?" He nods, "Yes. Now spill your guts." I wipe the water from my face and sigh, "I finally am okay with Bella and what she is and this shit has to come along and threaten everything. It's so fucked up because as much as I love my sister, I know that I am the only one still aging and it actually kind of hurts Edward, because it's just one more physical thing proving that we aren't really twins anymore." He squeezes me to him, "I can accept that kiddo. I'll talk to Alice and see if there's another way to celebrate without turning it into an actual birthday party with a cake and all that shit, alright?" I nod, immensely grateful that he would face the wrath of the Party Nazi for the sake of my sanity.

Eventually Jake and Bella come out and retrieve us before the bell goes off. All three give me a hug as we enter the building and separate for our various classes. "Love you," Jake whispers in my ear as he hugs me one last time. "Love you more," I vow, squeezing him with all of my strength before walking into my classroom. Mischa and Leah give me a reassuring smile as I take my seat, but don't bother me with questions about what transpired. No one mentions our birthday after that. I know Bella is as happy about that as I am.

The morning our our birthday, Bella makes me breakfast and wakes me up with it. "Happy Birthday little sister, " she softly proclaims as she set the tray on the bed. I wave her over, "Thanks. Now, sit with me Bells, if you want, I mean." She smiles and slides herself onto Jake's side of the bed, folding an arm under her head as she watches me eat. "Everyone is being very subtle about this birthday thing, they just left your presents in front of your door," Bella snickers, "They did the same thing to me. At least you didn't have Alice trying to break down your bedroom door so she could not wish you a happy birthday at midnight like I did." I nod, "You're right about that. I was up until 2 am redoing homework because, like a dumbass, I accidentally spilled Jake's cherry slushie in my back pack. Then I had to replace the strings on my guitar. I'm never letting Embry touch my fucking axe ever again." She tilts her head, brows furrowing with concern," When did you get to sleep?" I shrug, "About 4:30 so I got about an hour and a half. I'm good." Bella shakes her head, "You need to get some actual sleep Carlie, not just these little catnaps you've been scraping by on." I set my fork down and look at her, "Bella, I'm fine. I don't need nearly as much sleep as you think. Please don't pick a fight this morning, I'm begging you." She sighs and nods her head, "Okay Carlie, I won't push it today, but we will talk about this. Soon." I cock and eyebrow, "Not if I ignore you Bells." I move the tray and get to my feet, "I have to get a shower. Thanks for breakfast, it was really good." I leave my sister and half-full plate on the bed as I retreat to the bathroom.

Bella and the tray are gone when I reemerge, replaced by my Jacob, who is grinning like a lunatic. I start to ask, then remember that I'm currently clothed in nothing but a towel. "Happy to see me?" I ask, eyes falling on the distinctive bulge in his jeans. "Always," he qualifies, waggling his eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes and pull out my clothes, "Whatever wolf boy." "I got you something," he admits in a quiet voice, "Do you want to see it?" I finish dressing and jump on him, straddling his stomach, "You better not have spent a shitload or I'm ripping your arms off." I finger the white gold promise ring his his left finger, then match it to mine, "Wasn't this enough?" He ensnares my hand in his, "Never enough for you my love." He picks up a square box and opens it. Inside is a braided gold bracelet with a sapphire and diamond open heart. "It's beautiful Jake!" I gasp. He blushes, but removes it from the box and places it on my wrist. "I'm glad you like it honey. I know it's nothing like the Cullens cou-" I cover his mouth with my hand, "I don't care what the Cullen's can or can't buy. I'm not in love with them and I'm not with you because of what you can get for me Jake. I'm with you because I can't live without you. I love you because you're perfect for me. Stop trying to keep up with what Edward can buy my sister. I could care less about that." He manages to hide his guilt, for the most part, at my mention of Edward and Bella. "I'm sorry Carlie," he broods as he pulls my hand away, "I just see all of the expensive things he buys her and can't help but be reminded that I'll never be able to afford those things for you." I grab his face between my hands, "Damn you Jacob Black, when are you going to accept that I love you, everything about you, and that I don't care about money?" He takes my hands and presses his lips to the palm of each. His dark eyes are full of sadness when they meet mine, "I love you too Carlie. It just bothers me to think of you as the wife of a poor werewolf mechanic, while your sister gets to jet set around with world whenever she has the whim to." I smack his chest, "That's it! I'm not fighting with you about this anymore!" I yell and hop off of him, "If you want to keep deluding yourself that I don't love you, you can fuck off Jake. I'm not going to spend my life chasing you around, trying to prove that I'm in love with you and don't give a flying fuck about how much or how little money you have." I grab my boots and storm downstairs before he can answer, tears overflowing.

I shove my way passed my startled family, stopping long enough to put my boots on and grab my bag. "I've got to stop and get cigarettes and a Red Bull, anyone want me to get anything?" I ask as I pull my jacket on. They shake their heads, confusion written on their faces. I stomp down to my bike and tie my bag down. I get my helmet on and fire up the engines when Edward pulls in, "I've got coffee!" he announces. "Go pour it on Jake, maybe the pain will give him a wake up call, " I snarl and let off the brake. He calls for me as I fly by him, but I don't slow. I need to let off some steam before I do something stupid. I drive around until I'm calm enough to stop and pick up my menthols and Red Bull, internally chuckling at my first legal purchase of cigarettes. I'm the last one to school, taking off my helmet just as the first bell rings for class. Jake appears out of nowhere as I grab my bag and begin my trek. He doesn't talk, but grabs my bag with one hand and puts the other against my back. He quietly matches my pace, not breaking the silence once we reach my class. He leans down to kiss me, but I turn my head so his lips touch my cheek instead. His face is morose and shoulders slumped when he hands me my bag and late slip before jogging off.

He meets me to walk to our last class before lunch, again taking my bag without speaking. Again his posture is sad and defeated. He doesn't try to kiss me this time, but stills walks with his hand on my back, sensing this much contact is allowed. When we get to my seat, he takes a chance by taking my left hand and quickly, but gently, pressing his lips to my promise ring before letting me go and seating himself beside me. My anger melts away with his silent gesture, replaced once more by the warmth of his love and devotion. I quietly bask in it, wanting the clock to move faster so that I can prove to him that he's been forgiven. When the bell rings, Jake is already on his feet and slinging my bag onto his shoulder. He places his free hand in its usual place on my back and guides me out of the room and into the hall. "Thank you for the bracelet, I love it," I offer in way of a truce as we enter the cafeteria. I can feel him relax immediately, "You're welcome sweetheart," he replies, his voice thick with emotion. He timidly plants a kiss on the top of my head as we look for our family. He points outside to the tables, "Go on out, I'll get us lunch. Okay?" I nod, smiling, "Love you." He beams and lays a chaste kiss upon my lips, "Love you more," his lips tremble against mine.

I can tell everyone was privy to our reconciliation as I take my spot on the table. "So, what's the plan for tonight? Aside from the pillaging and burning?" I inquire while I pull my hair back into a scrunchie. Edward chuckles, "Phase two little sister." I glance around, looking for the target, "Has it been spotted?" Bella nods, "Yes. And I have it on good authority that it will be in place tonight." Alice rubs her dainty hands together with and evil laugh, "And I have buckets of glitter waiting." I give her a look, "When did that happen?" Alice shrugs, "This morning after you left. It just occurred to me that since idiots are drawn to sparkly things like moths to a flame, we should give it some glitter." We all burst out laughing at her words. "What?" Alice squeaks. "Sparkly things!" Mischa gasps between fits of giggling. "Speaking of..Hey Bells, does It sparkle?" Allen asks. Bella glares at him, "I don't think that's any of your business Allen," she snarls. Allen shrugs a shoulder, "I guess that's a yes!" Jake walks up, carrying a tray heaped with food, "What's so funny?" "It sparkles!" Allen chortles, body convulsing with his laughter. "What sparkles?" Jake whispers in my ear. I kiss the spot beneath his ear, "Edward's It honey." His eyes grow wide, then he doubles over laughing. "Fuck you," Edward snaps, throwing a tater tot at me. It only makes us laugh harder when Leah responds by putting her hands up, "No! Not with the sparkly!" Edward gives her the number one, "At least I'm not fucking Harry Potter." She blows a kiss at him, "Love you too Mr. Sparkly."

After school, we meet at my house to wait. We know Lauren will be attending the football game tonight, her being a cheerleader and all, so we know that her car will be at her house all night. We sort out the schedule to keep an eye out for when she gets home for the night. We can't risk her seeing it before everyone else gets a chance to. A bit of a party does break out as the day fades into night and Sam arrives with his pack. They have two new members, twin brothers by the names of Nicoli and Alexi. Half Russian, half Quileute boys whose parents returned to the reservation only weeks ago with their widowed mother. They had phased after a vampire nomad had spent some time in the town where they were from and their mother remembered the old legends. She'd brought them back to speak with the council. Sam and Jake had decided that the boys go with him since it would be better for everyone if they were introduced to our lifestyle slowly.

They're more than a little confused at our little band of misfits, but do their best to take things in stride. They love the idea of our little prank and throw themselves in head first, saying we can't be all that bad if we can think of something as twisted as this. It's not all fun and games though. Alexi furplodes once when Alice touches his arm as she bounces past him to help her brother with the buckets of glue which causes Nicoli to also phase. Sam and Jake's pack phase and quickly surround the startled, snarling wolves as the vampires retreat into the house. "Easy you two," I command in my most soothing voice, "I know your instincts tell you to eradicate the threat, but there is no threat here but you two." Bella appears beside me and takes my hand, "We won't hurt you, I swear." We reach our linked hands out slowly, letting them decide on whether to come forward or not. Nicoli stretches his neck out, sniffing our skin. Alexi whines softly behind him. Suddenly my phone rings, making me jump. Nicoli reacts violently, biting Bella and my outstretched hands. "NO!" Edward screams and dives off of the porch. The wolves knock the brothers back as a flame races up my arm. "My arm is burning guys!" I yell, falling to my knees. "A little bit of venom has gotten in the wound, " Edward explains, holding Bella, "Alice! Jasper! We need to get the venom out of Carlie's arm right fucking now!" "I can do it," Bella states as she dislodges herself from Edward's protective embrace, "Jasper shouldn't be out here with all of this blood anyways." I hear a wild snarling and lift my head from my bleeding arm just in time to see Edward knocking Jasper off of his feet. Bella takes my arm, "This is going to hurt," she explains, "Don't be afraid to scream," and seals her open mouth over the wound.

She's right, it fucking hurts. It hurts a lot. I can hear and feel her struggling with her thirst through my own cries of pain and it gives me just enough focus to will her away from me as the pain fades away. Her eyes are dark but grateful as she gets to her feet. I can tell she has regained complete control. "How do you feel?" she asks as she kneels down a few feet from me, "Is the burning gone?" I nod and inspect my shredded hand, "Yes. How's your hand?" Bella holds it up, it's fully healed. "Perfect," she says. Carlisle materializes from the forest, his golden eyes burning with worry. "Let me see it Carlie," he gently demands as he lowers himself to me. I stretch my arm out, "He got us good, I won't lie Carlisle." He offers a half smile, "Would you like to go to the hospital or would you like me to take care of it here?" he asks. "Here," I decide, "Hospital would ask too many questions. He nods and helps me to my feet, wrapping an arm securely around me and leading me into the house. "I have your bag," Alice says as he helps me to the table where a lamp has already been set and turned on. Edward and Bella hover in the doorway, I can tell none of them have taken a breath since we were bitten. "I'm fine guys, don't torment yourselves," I tell them, "Carlisle has it well in hand." Bella makes a face as Carlisle fills a syringe, "We don't want you to be alone Carlie," she whispers, no doubt using all the oxygen she had left in her lungs. "This is going to pinch a bit dear," Carlisle explains before jabbing the needle into my arm. I feel the cold touch of the medicine spreading, leaving numbness in its wake. "I'm fine," I insist, "Someone needs to go check on Jasper anyway." I look at Alice, "Please tell him I'm not angry with him." She nods and grabs Bella and Edward," Let's go."

They won't budge until they hear Jake's voice, "Yeah, you might as well make yourselves useful. I seen him with Esme, he's beating himself up pretty bad right now. Almost as badly as the twins are." He sits down and takes my free hand while Carlisle picks out the dirt and gravel embedded in the wound. "To be truthful, I always saw something like this happening to Bella," Carlisle admits as he works, "especially with how clumsy she used to be." I shake my head, "Edward would never have forgiven himself if Bella got hurt like that. Knowing him, he'd freak out and run away to Europe or something, thinking all the while that he was protecting her." Jake chuckles, "Yeah, until Bella got so depressed that she tried to throw herself off of a cliff or something. Those two can be so melodramatic sometimes." We all snicker at that, but quiet when Carlisle begins stitching the shredding skin closed. I can feel the little tugs and pulls as he deftly realigns the tears, doing his best to seamlessly seal the flesh together.

When he's done, he uses a cotton ball with some dark liquid on it and rubs it all over and around the wound before encasing my hand and forearm in white gauze, "As long as you are careful, the scarring should be minimal dear, " he explains while putting the bloodied material into on of the crystal bowls. Jake covers them with alcohol and I light it with a wave. I hop up and give Carlisle a hug," Thanks Dad," I whisper. I hear a small gasp from him and then he embraces me tightly, " Any time darling, any time." I feel him kiss the top of my head once and then he hands me over to Jake, "I'm going to get her something for the pain and check on Bella and the other children, I'll be right back." Jake picks me up, "Bedroom or deck?" I nod my head towards the door, "Deck, I need a cigarette." He rolls his eyes, but carries me out, carefully placing me into one of the hammock chairs. He pulls another chair over, then takes my unbandaged hand, "You feel okay honey?" I light my smoke and take a long drag from it before answering, "Other than my head thumping, I feel just peachy right now. Hell, I still want to go tonight." He frowns at me, "I don't think we're going to do it tonight love." I give him a look, "Why the hell not? It's not like I'm dead and Bella is already healed! Just taser the twins into submission and get this show on the road!" "Carlie, I don't think that's a good idea," he protests. "What? Me going? Or tasering the twins?" I snap. He kisses my hand, "Don't get pissy, I'm just worried about you." I sigh loudly and lay my forehead to his, "I want to go Jake. Carlisle is going to pump me full of pain killers so I won't be feeling shit. I can still help even if I can't do any of the physical work dear." I nudge my nose with his so he looks up at me, "Please let me go. It's all I want. For my birthday, let me help trash Lauren's car." He gives me a kiss, "I thought you didn't want anything for your birthday." I shrug, "I changed my mind. I'm a girl, I'm allowed to do that."

He doesn't get to answer because Carlisle arrives with a bottle of pain meds and a glass of water. He explains when and how much to take before stroking my hair and telling us that he's going to check on Jasper. I stand up as Carisle leaves the deck, "Jasper! Alex! Nico!" I yell, "Get your asses up here now before I fucking teleport you and we know how bad my aim is!" In under a minute, I have two embarrased werewolves and one shame faced vampire before me, all trying to apologize at once. I lift my uninjured hand, "Stop it this instant. All of you reacted as to what your nature's are. I don't hold that against any of you, it is the dangers of making this life work. Please don't run off or beat yourselves up, instead take it as a lesson to work harder on your control. I love you guys and don't want to see our family torn up over this. Okay?" They nod and babble more apologies. Alexi and Nicoli hug me before scampering off the deck. Jasper holds back, his ocher eyes gazing fearfully at my bandages, "I trust you Jasper," I confess," Even if you don't trust yourself." I reach out and wrap my arms around his waist, holding him firmly until he gently returns the hug, "I love you too little sister," he admits in that slow drawl of his, "I promise to never lose control like that ever again." I snicker against him, "I'll hold you to it cowboy." He releases me and I notice a light smile playing at his mouth as Alice diverts his attention, mouthing a 'thank you' as she pulls him into the house.

Once everyone is convinced to move forward with our humiliation of Lauren Mallory, things pick up where they left off. The twins are kept away from our vampire family, just to be on the safe side because Edward is still giving them looks of death every time he gets a chance. Everything is loaded and we drive the vehicles towards town, keeping off the main roads to avoid unwanted attention. The place is practically a ghost town with most of the inhabitants home from the game and in bed now.

The vampires go ahead to make sure the coast is clear while the wolves split up, carrying duffel bags stuffed with equipment. Us four witches are escorted by Leah and Seth through the alleyways, silently making our way towards the Mallory residence with shields covering our brethren. When we arrive, the car is already covered in glue and the glitter is being sprinkled on while the vampires stick our props to every inch of available space. We set down our bags and start unwinding yard after yard of Christmas lights and begin winding them around the VW Beetle. It doesn't take long at all. Within 10 minutes, we all stand back and marvel at our handiwork. The car is covered in glitter and dildos with lights hanging off of them. We don't waste time after taking a few pictures. We get our equipment cleaned up and race back home. Once the gear is disposed of, we take over my house, playing video games, watching movies, swimming, whatever. All I'm really sure of is Jacob laying me in bed, taking off my shoes, and holding me gently as I fall asleep. Damn pain meds.

I wake up to the sounds of heavy rain and people cheering. "You have to come see this!" Alice is bouncing at the foot of the bed. My head swims as I sit up, "Where's Jake?" She picks me up in her arms, "Already downstairs. Want me to carry you?" I nod and she lithely toes me down to the rest of the gang, who are in the living room. "It's all over the television!" Edward remarks exuberantly. "No shit?" I ask as Alice lowers me onto the couch, "Thanks Ali." She grins, "No problem. I'll get your coffee and medicine." Jake trumps the pixie by appearing with both promised items and also bringing my pack of smokes. I take my meds immediately, my arms hurts like a sonofabitch. I light my smoke while everyone finally moves enough for me to get a good look at the tv. I nearly shoot hot coffee out of my nose when I see the blurred images of the sex toy-laden car behind a wailing Lauren.

"And that, my dears, is why you don't fuck with this family," Bella declares as she wraps he arms around me.

**Okay faithful and not-so-faithful readers...GIMME REVIEWS!  
I busted my ass on this chapter and expect your opinions in return REVIEW OR DIE!!!!!!**


	31. Part 31 Moving ForwardMaybe

**I don't own anything Twilight or copyrighted...I just enjoy twisting and ****dementing**** them for my own evil means!**

**A/N: Just an FYI here. Carlie isn't completely cured, as it were. Regaining her power helped a shitload, but she is still dealing with Post Traumatic Stress. Stupid things could trigger her. Good job Princess ****Briar**** Rose for figuring that out!!! Oh, and Bella has a lot less trouble because of her vampire mind and she channels hers by mothering Carlie.**

**BIG QUESTION.....SHOULD I END/GIVE UP ON THIS STORY AND MOVE ON???? MY HITS/VISITORS HASN'T REALLY IMPROVED OVER THE COURSE OF THE STORY LIKE I HOPED THEY WOULD.**

**This is a real ****convo**** my husband and I had...I still don't get what makes him think so many people care....I don't get many reviews....**

**-Author- How does one go about topping what has happened so far?  
-Author's Darling Husband-You know, we had this conversation before -Author-We did? When?  
-Author's Darling Husband-at the end of the H.P. books -Author?  
-Author's Darling Husband-Yes, when I said every good author sits back and goes 'What the fuck do I do now to top that'  
-Author- Um, okay? How does that apply to me?  
-Author's Darling Husband- *rolls eyes* Look at your hits and visitors, you'll figure it out.  
-Author- But all I have is 782 Hits and 175 Visitors for this month!  
-Author's Darling Husband- Well that just shows me how many intelligent people there are in the world this month.  
-Author-Intelligent or not, I only have a small fan base and most of them don't review. That's got to say how bad my story is.  
-Author's Darling Husband-Maybe your readers can tell people about your story and get others to read it.  
-Author- I couldn't do that, it's rude. Besides, I don't want to scare off the few that actually care. *Sniff*  
-Author's Darling Husband-Please don't cry love or I'm going to have to spend a lot of money on plane tickets.  
-Author- *sniffles* Why?  
-Author's Darling Husband- To kick the shit out of the idiots that made you cry.**

**Okay, now my husband is threatening to hurt people if you don't start reviewing!!!!!!!!**

**Part 31**

**Moving Forward...Maybe.**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

After my sister's miraculous recovery and the antics that have followed, I can admit that I'm nearly as scared for her now as I was when she was ill, the only difference being that she is going to get half the family blown up or arrested in the process of pulling off one of these stunts. What I can't put into words though, is the strange pride I felt when I seen Lauren and her mutilated car on the television. I felt vindicated. It may be petty and cruel, but Lauren and her friends had made life a living nightmare for many people weaker than her and I believed that we had exacted revenge enough for all of them with our acts. It's hard to believe that only happened a few days ago. Carlie's bandaged arm is proof enough for that.

I'm less than thrilled about Carlie and I being bit by Nicoli, but I can't say that I blame him for acting out of an instinct to protect himself from my kind. I am kind of peeved that they have no self control though. So much more is expected out of the vampires. Sam's promised to work with them extensively before they are allowed to come to Carlie's on a regular basis so that helps. I'm more pleased that, between my sister and myself, we were able to get the venom out of her before I sucked her dry. Dealing with the side-effects is easy knowing I hadn't killed her. I can handle the red eyes and the burning in my throat that flares when I remember how her blood tasted. I wonder if this is what Edward went through when he had tried to save me after I'd been bitten by those vampires in the desert.

I look to my fiance. His crooked smile playing on his marble face. Those golden eyes darting around the fire, as if re-memorizing the faces of those dearest to him. His long, musicians hands laced behind his head as he rests against a stump. I laugh internally upon seeing his bare feet pushed out close to the bonfire. Carlie and my legs are draped over his but he doesn't seem to mind. Carlie leans against Jacob's side, his arm lightly wound round her waist while he is engrossed in an animated discussion with Jasper and Edward about music from the 60's. My head rests against Seth, who has Mischa tucked between his long legs. I'm happy for those two. In the weeks since school started, Mischa has slowly been opening up to Seth as more than just a friend. She was so worried about his age that it took Carlie having a private talk with her to realize how silly worrying about his age was.

Tonight we are just glad to be together. According to Carlisle, their cousins from Alaska will be visiting soon and all will not be well. Somehow, when Laurent parted ways with James and Victoria, he stumbled upon the only other family of vegetarians in existence where he became quite close with Irina, one of three sisters in the Denali clan. During a phone call yesterday, Kate had asked Carlisle if they had come across Laurent while discussing a Christmas visit to Forks. Carlisle inquired about Laurent's physical appearance and made the connection to the same Laurent that Carlie had killed. Needless to say, the northern cousins aren't happy with us. They are going to be more upset when they get here and learn of the werewolves and witches, if we cannot keep their involvement secret, according to Carlisle. This is our last night as a whole family because tomorrow the vampires go home to the Cullen estate and the wolves and other witches are going to be staying at Carlie's for the duration, at least until we have some kind of closure with the Denali's. Tomorrow also brings patrols, making sure we are not surprised by any visitors. Emmett and Rosalie will be home in the morning as well. Strength in numbers, Jasper said. The Denali clan will arrive sometime in the next few weeks, giving us much needed time to prepare. Carlisle and Esme hate having to treat their extended family as near-hostiles, but our unique family now has too much at stake to do otherwise.

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asks, curiosity alight in his butterscotch orbs. I shrug a shoulder, "The cousins and how this is going to go. What if they don't want to listen to our side of it?" He opens his mouth to speak but Jasper interrupts, "We won't let anything happen to you, Carlie, the Goth twins, or the wolves Bella, you're our family now." I glance at Esme, curled in Carlisle's lap, she is nodding in agreement, her 'Mom' face on. Alice shifts in Jasper's lap, "Bella, we don't want to fight them, but we will, if that's what it takes. We love them, yes, but," she waves her hand out, "we love all of you more. This isn't just about vampires who became close because of similar lifestyles, this is about protecting our true family. Laurent helped take you and Carlie away from us once and that alone is unforgivable. If they can't understand that, then we don't need them." "Maybe we shouldn't hide our family then," I offer after a few minutes, "Maybe we should be up front and honest, brutally if need be. If they knew the whole story, beginning to end, it could help them comes to terms with what happened and why." Jake raises a hand, "I agree with Bella. They are probably expecting denials and half-truths and therefore are going to be wary of anything we could say, but, if we are completely honest with them, Bella and Carlie can validate just about anything and everything we say. We owe it to them because they are your family Carlisle."

Carlie, who has listened quietly up to this point, jumps to her feet, "I will speak with them myself," she announces, "I'm the one who killed him. I'd gladly do it again, if given the chance. I'm not sorry that I did it, but I'm not going to let all of you take the fall for me because the stupid bastard went and no doubt purposely wormed himself into a group where he thought he'd be safe from us if we ever caught him. I don't have the same warm and fuzzy feelings towards them as everyone else, obviously, because I feel that anyone stupid enough to take in the likes of Laurent should have burned right with him. That was the second time my life was threatened by him, I made sure there would never be a third. Let them fight with me, if they're dumb enough to do it, just leave my family out of this. We've been through so much already." She stalks off towards the house, Jake on her heels. Edward and I get to our feet, hands joined, "I will talk with them as well. I am proof that what we will say is the truth. I don't know how they will be able to deny our claims if my sister and I stand together. When they know, let the chips fall where they may. They most likely will still want revenge, I am prepared for that. The rest of you shouldn't be an more involved than necessary." Carlisle looks at Alice, who is sitting with her head in her hands now, refusing to look at us."Can you see the outcome Alice?" he asks her. She shakes her head and a sob shakes her tiny form. Jasper folds himself around her, whispering words of comfort. "Is there no hope then?" Carlisle asks no one in particular. "There is always hope, I only know my own fate in this," I respond and follow my sister into the house, Edward's hand still firmly in mine. He knows when I spoke of my fate that he was included in this as we were one and the same.

Edward and I find Carlie and Jake in the sunroom, curled up on a couch together. He's stroking her hair and whispering into her ear while she cries. "What's wrong?" I ask as we seat ourselves across from them. Jake's dark eyes flicker to me, "I don't actually know Bells. One minute she's angrier than a swarm of hornets and the next she's collapsing on the floor in tears. I mean, we've seen her have these episodes before, but she won't show me or even talk right now so I can't tell you what triggered it." Edward and I exchange a look before Edward commands," Let's get her upstairs where there is a bit more privacy." Jake nods and we help him to his feet since my little sister has him in the grip-of-death at the present time. It may seem a silly little thing to an outsider, but the three of us lying on Carlie's massive bed in a protective circle around her was very natural for us. After an hour, her tears stopped and she lay quietly, still clinging to her mate. After a few more hours, she touched Jacob's cheek and showed him what had made her go to pieces in the first place. Another battle. Not being able to save Charlie or me. Fears of the family being torn apart. And a new threat, the Volturi. The ancient supposed rulers of the vampire race. She was frightened that another large battle so soon would draw their attention and exacerbate things. We didn't have an answer for that and it hurt so badly that I couldn't take away her fears.

At 3 am she unwinds herself from us and shuffles into the bathroom. We hear the shower start and the sounds of her undressing. Edward sits up and pulls me into his lap while Jake busies himself with getting Carlie's clothes and taking them into the bathroom for her. I hear him putting the plastic over her bandage, taping it in place. *_She won't be a zombie when she comes out love_* Edward assures me as Jake returns to the bed and perches on the edge, eyes fixed on the closed door. "Jake, why don't you grab some sleep? We'll be here when she gets out," I offer as I observe his weary features. He shrugs,"I want to make sure she is feeling better first Bellsie, okay?" "Sure, Jake," I agree and climb off of my fiance's lap, pulling him with me. "We'll be downstairs Jacob," I promise as we retreat. "Sure, sure," he waves a hand in acknowledgement before I gently close the bedroom door. Just as my feet touch the landing at the bottom of the stairs, I hear Carlie call for Jacob in a muted whisper, saying that she's having a hard time washing her hair. Edward skirts off to the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee while I tidy up the living room and feed the fish.

I hear her descend from the upper level, her footsteps quiet and uncertain. I dart across the house to aid her. She offers a timid smile of thanks as I lead her to a stool at the kitchen island, where Edward doles out her various medications and a glass of water. "What's up kiddo?" Edward asks her as she chokes her meds down. She shrugs and offers a half-smile while she picks at her bandage, "Oh, you know, another day, another mental breakdown. The usual." He chuckles, "The usual." He tosses a set of keys across the island, "Here. Thought you'd want your own damn car to drive now that you're not freaking out every time you get behind the steering wheel." She picks up the keys, "What is it?" He grins at her, "I know you were really fond of that Eclipse, this one is just a newer model. And it's black." Her eyes light up and she moves to go when I set her plate of eggs, bacon, and toast down, "Oh no little sister, you eat before you play," I inform her. She rolls her eyes at Edward, who chuckles and winks at me, "Come on, we'll go out to the sun room Nessie, leave the mean sister in here for a while."

I check on Jacob, who is sound asleep, hair still wet from aiding Carlie in her bathing. I cross my arms and lean against the doorway, watching the young werewolf's steady breathing. I can only imagine how hard all of this must be for him. He's my best friend, but he never brings up the difficulties of dealing with Carlie's erratic behavior or beong pushed into leading a pack of wolves at such a young age. His body might make him appear 17 or 18, but in his mind, he'll only be turning 16 in a little over a month's time. My thoughts wander to what life could have been for the wolves, for the Cullens, for Uncle Charlie if my sister and I had just let ourselves be put into the system back in Phoenix. Would so many life's be irrevocably altered? Would Edward and I still have found our way to each other at some point, college perhaps? Would my dear little sister, with all that she has lived through, have still met the one person who knew her and could take better care of her than I ever hoped? Would Jake had ever turned if Carlie and I had never destroyed Edward's car? So many different possibilities. Then I mentally kick myself. Why am I trying to rationalize the lives of so many people who are anything but rational? We are the creatures of myths and stories, there was never a normal path upon which to tread. It's like asking what would life be like if I had never been a twin, I can bet it still wouldn't have been a normal life. I turn of the light and shut the door, giving my sister's beloved a well earned rest.

As I work on breakfast, I see Leah, Embry, and Quil slip in the door, back from patrols. I pour each of them a mug of coffee, "Anything new?" I inquire as they sit down. They shake their heads. "Nothing so far, " Leah qualifies as she takes a sip of the hot brew. "Well, Jake just got to sleep about a half hour ago and Seth is snoozing in the living room. Carlie's going to have a fit when she sees all of that hair on her carpet," I joke. They laugh quietly, knowing my sister's rules on going wolf around the house. I quickly fill their plates and let them eat in relative peace while I take more coffee out to said sister.

Edward is on the couch, socked feet propped up on the coffee table as he reads the paper. Carlie's legs are strewn across his lap, her head on a pillow, as she chuckles at some humorous article. "Jebus Carlie, " I taunt, "You get any more cozy with my fiance and I'm going to have to file for alimony." She gives me the middle finger, "He's getting in his community service Bells, babysitting the resident psycho so everyone can get some sleep and you can bake cookies or some shit." I swat her foot, "Stop talking about yourself like that Carlie." She rolls her eyes, "Tell me where it's not true Bella." I know better than to argue with her right now so I give Edward a chaste kiss and walk back to the kitchen. Three sets of curious, worried eyes are fixed on me until I smile and nod to them, silently informing them that Carlie is doing much better.

Once their done with breakfast, I encourage them to grab a few hours sleep before school and they gratefully take the opportunity. I unload the dishwasher and busy myself with cleaning the kitchen when I hear Edward's phone ring. He excuses himself from Carlie and give me a look as he passes through the kitchen and out onto the deck. I drop the dish towel and follow him out. "What did they mean that Irina's gone?" Edward is hissing when I shut the glass door behind me, "Is she coming this way?" Carlisle explains that Alice seen her aimlessly wandering the Arctic tundra, no real goal in mind. "Should someone go after her?" I ask. Edward shakes his head no, "It would only make things worse if we tried to approach her right now. Kate and Tanya will keep and eye out for her at their home while Carmen and Eleazar search." I hear the glass door open and Carlie step out, "Search for who?" she asks, searching the darkened forest. "Irina," I answer, "but Alice doesn't see her coming here, not yet at least." Her brown eyes narrow, "Should I get Jake and Leah?" I look to Edward who shakes his head, "No, there's nothing that can be done right now, let them sleep." He goes back to the phone and Carlisle, who is asking about Carlie, "No, we're good. She's fine," Carlisle argues that my sister as no business being awake right now. Edward sighs, "I know she shouldn't be, but we're not going to give her another sedative, you seen what happened last time." Carlisle reluctantly surrenders after extracting a promise to call if we need anything. Carlie stomps back into the house, grumbling about her arm and relatives more insane than she is. "What are we going to do Edward? Carlie killed Irina's mate, we know she won't stop until one or both of them are dead," I ponder as he takes me into his arms, fitting my head under his chin. He traces slow circles down my back as he holds me, "We will do whatever is fucking necessary love. We won't let anyone hurt our little sister." His voice carries such conviction that I can't help but feel comforted.

We stand, holding tight to the other, until we see Mischa and Seth stagger into the kitchen. "Must be six," I mutter, slightly surprised that so much time had passed. Edward nods and pulls my face up to meet his, our lips touching. Silken, gentle kisses give way to harsher, almost desperate ones. In those kisses, I can tell one thing. Edward is as frightened as I am. Terrified of losing me, of losing Carlie, of losing our family. I hear Mischa's voice from the kitchen, "Enough already, humans trying to eat here. Well, human and a werewolf." Edward pulls away, only to set our foreheads together, "They're not really werewolves you know," he whispers to me, "They are actually shape-shifters who happen to take the ancestral form of a wolf." I lift and eyebrow," Don't they know?" He shakes his head slightly, "I've tried to explain it, but they're not ready to hear it." "How can you tell the difference?" He smiles, "Real werewolves turn into raging monsters during the full moon, it's the only time they can change. The Quileute wolves phase at will, unless they lose their tempers. Real werewolves also eat humans, ours don't. There are other factors, but now isn't the time or place, Carlie just walked back into the kitchen." He pulls me back inside, where the wind up of the school day has begun. I hear a thunderstorm warning interrupting a news broadcast talking about the disappearance of a Seattle native, an entertainer by the name of Rikku Maynes...what an odd name for a girl.

Carlie waits until the last minute to get Jake out of bed. He's grumpy at first, until she shoves at plate of food in front of him, telling him to eat while she looks over his homework. Alice arrives in yet another new car, a Mini-Cooper. She happily announces that it was a gift from Jasper as we admire the little yellow car. She warns us all to be careful driving today because of the storm system passing through. As if to prove her point, it begins thundering right as we get into our cars. This storm is going to be bad.

We don't race today, choosing to ride as a sort of buffer for our breathing family members, going ahead to make sure there aren't any downed trees or power lines. Edward and I have to move one tree as we enter the town limits, a large, rotting mess bigger in diameter than Emmett. Our trek to school ends up being in vain. A tree fell into the power station that gave power to the buildings. Some kids are gathering in the gymnasium as an alternative to returning to their homes that are also without power. We choose to go back to Carlie's place. It has a generator, so we have no worries over power loss. On our way back, Esme calls to inform Edward that Em and Rose' flight has been delayed in L.A. and they are driving home instead.

Almost as soon as he hangs up, my phone begins ringing. Alice. "What pixie?" I ask. "Charlie!" she whimpers, "Here. Less than a day. He's coming home to die Bella. He's done something he regrets more than anything but I can't make out what it is." Flashes of the battle, Charlie being ripped apart, his screams. Visions of Carlie healing him, limbs regenerating. His sad face telling me that he is sorry and to take care of my sister. "What?!" I finally manage to choke out. "He's calling Carlisle Bella," Alice says in a slightly stronger voice, "Charlie is coming home and asking to die and he doesn't want you or Carlie knowing or being a part of it. I have to go." She hangs up before I can respond. I stare at the phone, not believing what I had just been told. I was right, this storm is going to be bad. This may actually destroy my sister. With the wolves on red alert, there is no way to keep the presence of another vampire from her without keeping it from Jake, and that was an impossibility. "We can't tell her who it is," I decide, "Another vampire passing through is one thing. Her finding out that it's Charlie is a different matter." Edward nods, "That won't be easy, with the imprint compulsion. Jake will know who it is, even through the vampire scent. Hopefully we can convince him not to tell her who it is." I lay my head against the window and count the raindrops hitting it, "Hopefully love. I don't know what I'd do if I lost her too." He gathers my hand in his own, "We'll take care of it angel, you stay with Carlie until I call you and tell you it's over. I can't let you be a part of what is to come. I won't." I take a deep breath and noisily exhale, "I wish there was some way to save him, but what Carlie did.....there's a reason you don't bring people back from the dead." He traces small circles on my hand, "Do you really think you wouldn't have tried to do the same thing if you had been in her position?" I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger, a habit I'd picked up from Edward, "I don't know, probably," I finally confess, "I just wish there was some way to take it back and not hurt her or Charlie. I wish I could fix this."

Suddenly, I missed my mom and dad. I missed Charlie. I had to fight through the veil that covered my human memories, but I managed to stumble through the corridors of my mind and bring their images to the forefront. I don't regret my life as a vampire and I could never regret my Edward. I can't even regret dying to try and save my uncle. I just wished, for one moment, my mom, dad, or Charlie could hold me and tell me that everything was going to be alright. Just then Edward leans over and presses his lips against the hollow beneath my ear, "It's going to be okay my love," he whispers against my skin. His velvet voice never fails to relax me. I feel my body soften slightly at his featherlight touch. I hadn't realized that I'd went rigid while consumed by my thoughts. He always knows what to do to make me feel better. A particularly hard sheet of rain sweeps over the car and I cringe. Edward chuckles, "Still not a big fan of the rain I see," he mutters under his breath, remembering a conversation we'd had in biology last school year. I grin, "Or the cold," I answer just like I had when he asked me about my feelings on the weather here in Forks. His smirk grows, "At least it's not snowing. I mean it's drier than rain-- until it melts in your socks." Ah, diversion. I let myself go with it. We rehash various conversations we'd had last school year, Edward helping quite a bit to dredge up those human moments. By the time we reach my sister's home, we're laughing so hard, there would be tears running down our faces had we been human.

Neither of us bring up the Charlie situation again, something I was both sad and grateful for. I knew that if I saw him, I wouldn't be able to end his life or let anyone else do it either, no matter how much of a mercy it was.

**Okay, I know it's a short chapter, but my ego has taken a few major blows....how does one handle only getting 12 hits in one day and only 30 the day after???**

**I tried to stomp this out and make it longer, but it's taking too long and those who actually are loyal deserve something new..**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	32. Part 32 HalfLife

**Yeah yeah, I don't own anything Twilight or copyrighted...fuckers.....**

**A Perfect Circle-Judith (****Renholder**** Mix)**

You're such an inspiration for the ways

That I'll never ever choose to be

Oh so many ways for me to show you

How the savior has abandoned you

Your Lord and your Christ

Took all you had

and Still you pray,

you never stray

You never You never

thought to question why

It's not like you killed someone

It's not like you drove

a hateful spear into his side

Praise the one who left you

Broken down and paralyzed

He did it all for you He did it all for you

Oh so many many ways

for me to show you

How your dogma has abandoned

you Pray to your Christ,

to your god

Never taste of the fruit

Never stray, never break

Never---choke on a lie

Even though he's the one

who did this to you

You never thought to question why

Not like you killed someone

It's Not like you

drove a spiteful spear into his side

Talk to Jesus Christ

As if he knows the reasons why

He did it all for you

Thank your God

Your lord, your Christ

He did this

Took all you had

and Left you this way

Still you pray,

you never stray

Never taste of the fruit

You never thought to question why

Thank your God

Thank your God

**Part 32**

**Half-Life**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

Edward wouldn't let me see him. As a matter of fact, Carlisle had been the only one to see Charlie face to face, that I was aware of. I knew he had been here, in our home, and his scent alone had driven me to my knees, begging to be allowed to see him, just once. The whole family was in shock because you don't get very many suicidal vampires, especially a vampire that means to much to this family. Now the whole family is running interference. Carlie knows something is wrong, but we had convinced Jake that it was better that she didn't know who was in the area. I was surprised at how easy it was to sway him. I had thought it was going to be much easier for me alone to know.....

I was wrong.

And it was that error that had awarded me Emmett and Rosalie as babysitters until....It....happened. I'd tried to find him and nearly succeeded. Only Edward and Jasper's speed prevented me stumbling upon my uncle. Edward has been so distant since that day. Weeks have went by and all I have ssen of him is him ghosting in and out of the house at all hours, he hasn't even been to school. Now I sit in my sister's sun room with Jake holding me as I sob tearlessly, hoping all the while Carlie doesn't wake up and start asking questions as to what has been going on. She's already not speaking to Jake because of his silence and the rest of the pack is on eggshells because of Carlie's status as the Alpha's mate. She's been snarky with Edward, well, more so than usual. "I need to go check on Nessie," Jake whispers in my ear as he lays a chaste kiss on my forehead. He stops at the doorway, "Bella, I want you to know that I'm always here, I mean, this is going to sound corny, but you can always count on me. You're my best friend, you know that, right?" I nod, "Yeah Jake, I know that, and I do count on you, probably more than you will ever know. You're the only one I can trust her with. If you didn't love her so much.....I couldn't bear this, what we're doing to protect her." He nods sadly and walks out as I wrap myself tighter around the small pillow in my arms.

"Bella?" I hear my angel's voice echo softly through the house. I sit up and rub my eyes, a futile human gesture, "In here Edward." His wind blown bronze locks sparkled with raindrops as she sauntered in, hands plunged deep in his pockets. At first, his face is so somber, until he lifts those glorious, agonized butterscotch orbs to meet mine. I see them soften as he nears, then kneels at my feet. Hesitant, he raises his hand to my face, his fingers grazing from jawline to temple. My love," he breathes, "You don't know how all of this has tortured me. It's been a living hell, being away from you. I was trying to do what was best for you, for Carlie. I owe you an apology--no, I owe you much more than that. I-" I put my hand up, "He's dead, isn't he?" He absently takes my hand in his and nods, "Can you ever forgive me Isabella? After what I've done?" His voice so so morose, it makes my still heart ache for him. I lift his face, waiting until his eyes meet mine once more, "What kind of question is that? What is that supposed to mean? You think I hate you because you helped to finally give my uncle the peace he so desperately deserved?" I can see the self-loathing etched into his chiseled features, "Please Bella, just answer it. I mean, it would be quite...fair, if you can't forgive me, and I would never begrudge you that I-" I clamp my hand over his mouth, "Edward, the way I feel about you will never change. I love you and there is absolutely nothing you can ever do to change that so deal with it." He takes my hand from his mouth and replaces it with my lips, "That's all I needed to hear, "he whispers against my lips before he crushes his own against them.

When we part, he holds me against him, whispering sweet nothings in between purrs. I know he won't ever show me what happened, and secretly, I'm glad. It might make me a horrible person, but I can't bring myself to truly want to know exactly who my beloved uncle had spent his final moments in this world. The scent of my sister and her werewolf lover bring me out of my macabre thoughts. "Morning," Carlie mumbles, flopping down on the couch opposite my fiance and I, then promptly forgets our presence as her focus is diverted by the newspaper and coffee. Jake follows her in, a sympathetic smile on his face, with two plates of french toast. "Carlie, you need to eat," he scolds, but she gently shakes her head, her dark hair falling into her eyes as she does so,"Not hungry," she grunts and takes another sip of her brew. "What's wrong Carlie?" I inquire softly. She shrugs, not lifting her doe eyes from the paper," Nothing, just not ready to sugar myself up quite yet this morning. I want to get at least one cup of coffee in me first before I turn into mini Alice." Everyone chuckles at the reference. Too bad our little pixie hadn't been doing much bubbling the past few weeks, not since her vision of Charlie. She has always pulled herself together when Carlie was around, but the rest of the time, she just sat and stared out the window. Not even Jasper could snap her out of it for very long. Hopefully things will change, now that our uncle has been put to rest.

Wish granted.

As soon as the words are out of her mouth, I am accosted by a raven haired, pale-skinned bouncing ball of energy. "Bella, we have to go shopping after school!" the evil pixie squeals. I suppress a shiver, "Why this time, sister mine?" She rolls her ocher eyes at me, "Duh, the Homecoming dance! Silly Bella," she explains in an exasperated voice. "Alice, I don't want to go to the dance," I whine, glaring at Edward for support. He smirks and shrugs, "Come on angel, you should know better than this. You know she's going to win. You're just drawing out the torture for everyone else." I huff and curl up on the cushions, "Alice, how did someone so small grow to be so annoying?" Alice shrugs, impish grin on her face, "It's a talent. Now, tomorrow, we're all going to Seattle and going shopping. The boys will go with Carlisle and us girls will be with Esme. It's going to be a weekend thing. We all need this so don't you dare ruin it Bella Swan." I sigh, dropping my head in a defeated nod, "Alright, I'll do it, but that doesn't mean 48 hours of nonstop shopping." She squeals and hugs me, "Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is going to be perfect!"

There is a movement and I look up to see Carlie leaving the room, Jake's arm around her waist. I look at Edward, the unspoken question on my face. He furrows his eyebrows and then quickly follows the duo. I hurry after them, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. When I catch up, they're out on the back patio, conversing quietly. "What's up little sister?" I ask Carlie as I seat myself beside her. She lights her cigarette and her chocolate orbs flicker between Edward and me, "We're not going to Homecoming," she qualifies. "Why not?" I counter, trying to mask the irritation in my voice. "Do you want the truth or do you want me to lie to you Bells?" she cocks an eyebrow at me. I stare at her, exasperated, "Always the truth Carlie." She takes a sip of her coffee, then shrugs, "Too many people in too small of a space, I still have trouble dealing with busy hallways and classrooms, you now that. Jacob is going to make me dinner instead." Jake takes her free hand and caresses it lovingly, "Look Bells, I know you and the others won't be thrilled about it, but it's only been a few weeks and we all know that Carlie may have been healed a lot when she got her power back, but she's far from being recovered and this isn't something that she can just go and visit a handy dandy shrink over." Edward, who is leaning against the house with his arms folded against his chest, smirks, "I have to say that I agree with him angel. She's made so much progress, I'd hate to see it fucked up by our overzealous family." I sigh and run my free hand through my hair, "Fine. Maybe Edward and I should stay with you then." Carlie's scrunches up into a mask of horror, "No Bella! As much as I love you guys, I'd really appreciate a night alone with my boyfriend." I can't help but laugh, "Alright Nessie, I'll give you that one, but now we have to find a way out of you going to Seattle then." She rolls her eyes, "I can deal with Alice, Bells, it's my neurosis so it's my problem." I sit down beside her, "It's not just yours Carlie, we're a family, remember?" She groans, "Okay Bella, enough with the love-in shit, you're starting to scare me. I am now going to have nightmares about being assaulted by Alice dressed as June Cleaver, thanks a bunch."

"Okay wolf girl, enough jokes at my expense," Alice calls from in the house, "Time for school!" Carlie laughs, "You're number one Alice!" It surprises me when Jasper comes out and tosses my sister over his shoulder and runs into the house, grinning like a cat that ate the proverbial canary. I'm doubly confused when Jake simply laughs and chases after them while yelling, "Stop stealing my girl Jasper, she's not an appetizer!" I hear Jasper's slow drawl, heavy with humor, "Not a chance wolfy, she's mine now!" I look to Edward, confused, "What the hell just happened?" His guffaws echo across the space," Um, Jasper just kidnapped your sister, by the looks of it, and Jake is chasing them to keep Carlie from being lunch." I sit, dumbfounded, "I didn't realize her and Jasper had gotten so close again." Edward flicks the ash from his cigarette, "It's not my fault that you're not very observant my love. Now," he pushes off the wall and reaches for my hand," Let's go play stupid teenager for a little while and we'll tackle the rest of this shit later, when we have more time." I accept his hand and follow him into the house, eager to worry about less earth-shattering things for the time being.

We walk out to the cars to see Jasper depositing my sister into her new black Eclipse. "Ah, I see you didn't end up lunch Carlie," Edward muses as we stroll past her vehicle to the Lancer. Carlie laughs, blows him a kiss and then gives him the middle finger before starting her car and spraying gravel everywhere as she pulls out.

Alice hops in the car with Edward and me after a soulful kiss with her husband. "Carlie seems to be getting along with Jasper well," I ponder aloud in an effort to avoid the shopping discussion. Alice bobs her head, "They've been getting closer again since she got hurt. I'm glad to see that he's finally gaining some confidence in himself when it comes to his thirst. I always knew finding you and Carlie was going to be a wonderful thing for this family Bella, even when some others," her eyes stare pointedly at the back of Edward's head, "decided to doubt me just to be proven wrong yet again." Edward rolls his eyes as we come to a stop sign behind my sister, "Kiss my ass Ali," he scowls. The pixie's laugh is tinkling and carefree, "No thanks dear brother, I'd rather survive off of fish for a year." "That can be arranged you pain," he retorts, a smile playing at his lips. "Keep it up Edward and I'm going to tel Bella how Em and Jas tied you to the front of Em's jeep and went trailblazing through the Rockies," Alice threatens. Edward smiles and kisses my hand, ignoring our sisters jab.

At lunch, I find myself laying back against Edward while he reclines against a large tree. We're watching Jake and Carlie throw french fries at each other while Alice sits cross legged on the table. The other four had doctor's appointments and left early today. *What did Charlie do that he regretted enough to warrant a suicide?* I think towards my fiance. Edward's fingers trail up my sides as he debates, then decides to answer *He killed Irina. He stumbled across her because he could see you and Carlie in her head and she was contemplating how to murder you both. He reacted without thinking. I really don't want to have this discussion with you right now Bella. Please, let's talk about something else.* I nod, "Okay..," I look around for a distraction when I see Alice giggling and staring at Edward, who is glaring back, shaking his head no.

"Hey Bella," Alice chortles," Did Edward ever tell you about him dressing up as Dr. Frankenfurter from Rocky Horror Picture Show?" I turn, wide-eyed, to my fiance, "You did what?" If he could still blush, I think he would've at that moment. "Um, do I have to answer that angel?" he asks, eyes pleading for me to let it go. I cross my arms and pout like a 5 year old, "Fine, you don't want to tell me, I'll have Ali explain it and you know how she just loves to go overboard with descriptions my love." He groans and runs his hands through his wild mane, "Ugh. My mother and sisters decided we needed to go to a midnight showing of the damn thing and we couldn't go without dressing the part. It just so happens us guys had lost a bet to them a few weeks before and had agreed to dress in whatever they wanted for a month. I drew the short straw and got the good doctor," he laughs, "I think we were better off when it was said and done, because I couldn't spend eternity with the memories of Emmett dressed like that if it had been him instead of me." Alice's giggling increases, "Wait till we get home Bella, I know we still have a few pictures left that Edward hasn't managed to find and destroy." Edward leaps to his feet, "I'm going to rip your fucking head of Alice," he growls and drops into a crouch to pounce on her until I grab him. "Edward! We're still at school! Can't you at least act human?" I scold as I pull him back down to the grass. He snarls at his favorite sister, "Don't think I'll fucking forget about this Alice." She in turn, sticks both her tongue and middle finger at him, "Please, all I have to do is mention Bella naked and you forget everything, including your own name, Edward. That threat no longer scares me, as if it did much before." He starts growling and I distract him by smashing my lips against his.

"Dammit Jake, put me down!" I hear Carlie squeal. "I don't think so sweetheart, that guy was looking at you like you were something to eat!" Jake retorts. I drag my lips from Edward's in time to see Carlie being dumped onto the table beside Alice. "Jake, half of our family looks at me like I'm something to eat at one point in time or another, why are you so upset about a stupid high school boy?" Carlie asks, wrapping her arms around her werewolf's waist. He shrugs, "Because our family isn't looking for the kind of meal he was. God help him if he pulls anything." Carlie rolls her eyes at him," Jacob, number one, the gods have nothing to do with this, they're useless anyway. Two, this whole school knows I'm a lunatic and I've had freshmen actually run away when I've tried to speak to them. Trust me love, they may appraise me, but would never even be tempted to get close enough to talk to me let alone steal me and ravish me in the woods or some shit. I'm yours and yours alone. Well, except when the voices tell be to paintball cars or something." She gives me a wink at her last words, making Edward grumble behind me, "Fuck you Nessie. I loved that car and you and your sister killed it." Carlie hides her face against Jake's shirt, but the bobbing of her shoulders betray her laughter. "Oh Edward, " she mumbles between fits of mirth, "Quit being such a drama queen and go buy another fucking Volvo. Then we can call you the Hatchbacked Hunchback of Forks, Washington. Personally, I have no problem making fun of your dumbass over it for the next few centuries, especially if I actually manage to survive that long." He actually sticks his tongue out at her, "Bella's going to be the death of me, we all know that, but you, Carlie Swan, are making damn sure my fucking mind goes first." Her chortling doubles, "Yeah, I love you too Assward." Over everyones insane giggling, we hear the bell ring for class.

"That's it. School was invented to be a hell for kids. It's like living a half-life. I don't know how you Cullen's have managed to stay almost sane after so many times in high school. I swear I'm stealing every fucking bell in this place when we graduate," Carlie proclaims as we enter the building. Edward smirks and shrugs a shoulder, "We haven't sis. Just look at Em and Ali." Alice smacks him arm and makes a face at him, "At least we don't hear voices jerk. Oh crap." Her face looks apprehensive as it whips between Carlie and me. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Carlie waves it off and I just grin at her, "That's okay Alice, but now you have to let Carlie and Jake stay home for Homecoming, no questions asked." Alice looks likes she's going to protest, but then changes her mind and giggles, "Okay, deal." My sister and her almost fiance mouth their thank you's as Jake ruffles Alice's dark locks. Edward and I split off from the other three for Calculus, Carlie back to muttering about her hatred of school bells.

Once class starts, I let my mind wander back to how I'm going to tell my sister that our uncle has been put to rest. I know telling her the whole truth would be a bad thing. She could lose all of the ground she's gained so far in her recovery. *_Edward, do think it would be easier to tell Carlie that Irina and Charlie killed each other so we can keep the family and everything out of it?_* I think to him while scanning over my Calculus test. He scratches his jaw thoughtfully and nods, seemingly at finding an answer on his paper. *I_ think that's a damn good idea angel. He wouldn't be dead if it hadn't been for her in the first place. No one knows what really happened but me and __Carlisle__ anyway. I knew there was a reason that I loved you. You're so fucking smart._* *I love you too.* I think back as I finish the last question and walk it up to the teacher. Edward mimes my actions 23 seconds later. *_I'__m bored Bells, pull the fire alarm or something so we can all get out of here_* he thinks to me while doodling a very rated X picture of the teacher and Mike Newton together. *_I"m not __goi__--_* my though is interrupted by the fire alarm going off. I grab my bag and glare at my mate, who is grinning evilly. "Carlie." We both say, his an explanation, mine an explicative. He grabs my hand and we dart out of the room, seeking my sibling and her wolf.

"This way!" we hear Alice's voice over the din of the crowd. I look up to see Jake carrying both girls on his shoulders as they exit the building. "Show off," I mutter as Edward pulls me onto his back and slips through the crowd. "I don't want you trampled by eager children angel, and this was the most effective way, now stop bitching before you even start," he answers as we escape the mob and make it out the doors. The trio is waiting by the cars, watching other students making a run for it. "I got a call from Mischa," Carlie explains, "They're on their way home now, if we hurry, we'll beat them. Let's go!" I stop by my car, "How are we going to explain this though?" Alice snickers, "Got it covered already. You and Carlie started having panic attacks and we had to take you home. The school has orders from Carlisle to let either of you go home when you feel threatened so we're utilizing it. Get in the car Bella, you've got ten seconds before a teacher sees us." I don't argue. I duck into the car as Edward throws in in reverse and slams on the gas. I scowl at him, but he counters with my favorite crooked smile and I can't bring myself to scold him as we race to my sister's home.

We get there mere minutes before the other four, who get out of Allen's Supra and start rifling through his trunk. Mischa walk around the car, liquor bottles in hand. "Mine and Allen's cure for doctor's visits, we're getting hammered," she announces with a Cheshire grin. "Oh joy, three drunk werewolves and three drunk magic wielding humans, this is going to end well," Edward muses as he lights a cigarette. "Come on, this is going to be great!" Allen laughs after he takes a long swig from a tequila bottle. Mischa smacks him on the back of the head and takes the bottle, "No tequila for you Tigger," she warns, then takes a drink herself. "That's not fair Misch," Allen whines, trying to retrieve the bottle. Mischa smacks his hand," No, what wouldn't be fair is for you to get hopped up on this shit and then attempt to murder Leah by fucking her to death. You know you turning into a bouncing, babbling, horny idiot when you drink this shit. I'm just trying to save my future cousin's life dipshit." Allen snorts at her and opens a bottle of Grey Goose, "Fine then Bitcherella, then you get no rum because that shit does the same thing to you." Mischa shrugs, "That's fine, I'll out drink you either way you fucking lightweight." I walk away, not wanting to be pulled into another one of their arguments.

I spot Edward leaning against the garage, looking down toward the lake. I wrap my arms around him and kiss his neck, "What's up love?" He brushes a lock of hair from my face, tucking it behind my ear before kissing my cheek, "Nothing at all. Carlie and Jake walked down to the gazebo and I was just spying on them. I don't think they're drinking so we might have to run interference and protect them from the village idiots tonight." I glance back at them, they are setting up firewood in the fire pit, "Well, between me and Carlie, we'll be able to keep the wolves from phasing while they're inhebriated so we won't have to worry about chasing down actual drunk wolves. I also know that we'll be able to keep the Goth twins from casting anything that will hurt anyone. This is going to be a long night Edward, maybe we should stop them." He chuckles and wraps his arms around me, "Nah, as long as we keep an eye on them, they'll be fine. We just won't have any mercy on them tomorrow when they're all hungover and shit."

We sit and watch the antics grow more and more ludicrous as our family grows more intoxicated. Jake and Carlie keep their distance, but watch carefully for any trouble. As the day fades into evening, my sister and her boyfriend move into the house to cook dinner. Mischa spots them and begins yelling for the lovebirds to join in the festivities. Carlie ignores her, but soon we hear music drifting out of the open windows, 'I Like the Way You Move' from Outkast to be exact. "How come I feel a Monty Python moment coming on?" Edward whispers in my ear. I look towards the bonfire in time to hear Mischa yell, "Spam, spam, spam! But I don't like Spam!" Everyone else starts singing the Spam song. "You don't have your Viking helmets!" Carlie calls from the deck. "Fuck you all high and mighty sober one!" Allen retorts and chucks an empty bottle at the house. I will the bottle to my hand. "Keep that up and you're cut off Allen," I warn as he mutters indignantly. Yeah, this isn't one of their better ideas.

Dinner fares no better. Carlie and Jake argue that they need something in their stomachs besides ungodly amounts of alcohol and they make fun of her for being sober. She respond by taking all of their liquor from them and storming into the house. Leah, Allen, and Mischa are livid and try to start an argument through the door, Seth just sits by the fire, laughing at their efforts. Carlie and Jake crack jokes at their drunk family's expense. When the yelling escalates, Jasper helps us by making them all drowsy. It doesn't take long before all three are sleeping soundly. Seth is allowed into the house after promising not to vomit or start a fight with anyone. That's when Edward and I go down to enjoy some time by the fire ourselves. About midnight Alice and Jasper draw us into the library to discuss what comes next. After Carlisle spoke with Kate on the phone, the Denali's have decided not to visit for a time as to not take their sorrow and hurt out on Carlie over defending herself or Charlie 'dying' in his battle with Irina to protect us.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

Now I know why I can't stand drunk people. Being afraid of having a flashback was enough to keep me from drinking and watching my family's complete idiocy cured me from wanting to get drunk any time in the near future. Jake and I finish our homework after getting the three snoring jackasses in bed for the night. I was all for letting them sleep it off outside in the front yard, but Jake wouldn't allow it. "Who do you think would be eaten up with guilt if Allen or Mischa ended up sick for sleeping out in the rain Carlie?" he had asked, knowing what my answer would be. I'd surrendered and helped carry them in. Okay, I dragged Allen in by his feet until Bella picked up up and tossed him over her shoulder. Seth had passed out on the couch within 15 minutes of coming inside. He'd been the only one not to cause trouble.

Bella, Edward, Jasper, and Bella now sat in the library, talking at vampire speed about whatever. I ignore them because they'd offered no real assistance in preventing the alcohol-fueled debacle that had occurred. Jake and I briefly tried talking them out of drinking, but had been laughed at so we'd walked down to the gazebo, away from the inevitable stupidity. It's been a horrible night and I'm glad for the silence when Jacob finally drifts off. He'd been trying so hard to stay awake with me the past few weeks and it's taken it's toll on him. I asked him once why he was on red alert and he had explained that Laurent's mate had been hunting me, but she'd been taken care of. He was just worried that some of her friends would try to make an appearance. This morning he'd been so different. For the first time in weeks, Edward had some while my sister was here. I hid my surprise the best I could when I seen them together before school.

Aside from the apprehension of meeting the Denali's, I can admit that I am at peace with myself. Carlisle told me that I could have flashbacks for many years to come and I've accepted that. I also know Charlie is dead. I dreamed it a few weeks ago and I feel it in my heart. I can't prove it, but whatever transpired, I know Charlie is at peace. I just need to figure out a way to tell my sister. I'm worried that this might be the one thing she'd break down over. Maybe after Homecoming I'll tell her. Let her have her fun, even if she won't admit that she's excited.

Jake rolls over in the bed and begins snoring, so I get up from the couch and go downstairs, avoiding the library so no one feels obligated to check on me. I light a menthol and curl up on one of the couches in the sun room, finally being able to think about graduating from high school. I'd never let myself think about making it to next week let alone 8 or 9 months from now. It's kind of mind-boggling actually. My eyes drift to the promise ring on my hand and fantasies of marrying my ever-watchful protector take over my thoughts for a few hours. It no longer hurts to hope. That's one more step in the right direction. Hell, we've survived abductions, newborn armies, teenage werewolves, and curbed instinctual animosities and created the most loving, loyal, and certainly most dysfunctional family in the world. If we can't survive high school after all of that, we're seriously fucked.

**I know, I know, another short chapter that didn't really accomplish anything. I'm sorry. I've lost my ****mojo**** guys and gals, ever since that 12 hit day. I feel like I'm circling the drain now and don't know how to pull out of it.**

**I'm grateful for those who have stuck with me, you have no idea how much I hate myself for letting you down.**

**If someone would actually take me seriously and fucking review, I'd be thrilled. You don't pay anything to read this shit other than what your Internet costs you so stop being such an ass and throw this author a bone.**

**REVIEW OR DIE DAMMIT.**


	33. Part 33 WTF!

**I don't own...****ya'll**** know that already.**

**Moby****- Extreme Ways**

Extreme ways are back again Extreme places I didn't know I broke everything new again Everything that I'd owned I threw it out the window came along Extreme ways I know will part the colors of my sea It's a perfect colored sea

Extreme ways they help me They help me out late at night Extreme places I had gone That never seen any light Dirty basements, dirty noise Dirty places coming home Extreme worlds alone Did you ever like it planned?

I would stand in line for this There's always room in life for this

Oh baby, oh baby Then it fell apart, it fell apart Oh baby, oh baby Then it fell apart, it fell apart

Extreme sounds that told me They held me down every night I didn't have much to say I didn't give about the life I closed my eyes and closed myself And closed my world and never opened up to anything That could get me at all

I had to close down everything I had to close down my mind Too many things could cut me Too much could make me blind I've seen so much in so many places So many heartaches, so many faces So many dirty things You couldn't even believe

I would stand in line for this It's always good in life for this

Oh baby, oh baby Then it fell apart, it fell apart Oh baby, oh baby Then it fell apart, it fell apart

Oh Baby, oh baby

Oh baby, oh baby

Then it fell apart, it fell apart Oh baby, oh baby Then it fell apart, it fell apart Oh baby, oh baby Then it fell apart, it fell apart Oh baby, oh baby Like it always does, always does

**Part 33**

**WTF****?!**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"What do you mean, dog sledding?" Jake snarls at Edward, "You are not hooking any of us to a damn sled to go anywhere!" They're currently arguing over the fact that in the span of one night, we had a freak snow storm blow in and drop three feet of snow on us and us humans were effectively stranded unless the wolves or vamps intervened. I hate the holidays. Third fucking day of Christmas break and I'm stuck here, listening to my boyfriend and best friend have a pissing contest. "Why don't you two stop bitching at each other and go dig out the fucking driveway," I snap and storm into the kitchen for a java refill. Bella follows, shaking her head, "I'm so sorry Carlie, being stuck with the entire wolf pack, the witches, and now all of us. Maybe I can convince everyone to go out for a while." I fill my mug and lean against the counter, "Wouldn't do any good Bells. The only ones truly stuck here are me, Allen, and Mischa, everyone else just feels obligated to stay because of us lesser creatures and our fragility or some shit." It was the truth, and I could see it in her eyes. The humans were being pitied. I felt the anger rise up and boil over. "I don't want your fucking pity," my voice raises as I continue, " You know what? Maybe all of you should get your asses out of my house! Us poor, breakable humans have enough shit going on that we have to deal with on a regular basis and I, for one, am getting sick and fucking tired of the mythical creatures stumbling around my home, feeling sorry for me!" Jake comes running in," Carlie, what the hell are you talking about?" I glare at him," What Jake? You think I don't fucking realize that the whole fucking pack is here instead of checking on their parents because everyone's afraid we're going to freeze to death or get eaten by the Abominable Snowman or a rabid deer or something?!" Jake, who was poised to take me in his arms, takes a few steps back, confusion in his dark eyes, "What? No! Carlie, we're just worried--" I raise my hands up," Yeah, worried about the poor humans safety blah blah blah. I'm tired of it. You fuckers need to go worry about other people for a few hours before I go put some country music on to kill myself to." I shove my way past the crowd gathered in the doorway to find my coat and boots, "I'm going outside to smoke a cigarette, if anyone follows me who isn't coming out to smoke as well, I'm turning you into fucking steaks then barbecuing your asses." I finish pulling on my boots and stomp out the door.

Outside, I uncover one of the patio charis and dump myself in it after lighting my menthol. Everyone is still so fucking worried that I'm going to have a random breakdown. I wonder if they even realize having everyone piled into my house 24/7 could actually make that happen? My gaze dances over the ice covered trees at the edge of the yard, their innocent sparkle invoked by the morning sun twinkling across the snow. Fucking Christmas. Why does every fucking idiot that I know feel like celebrating either the first day of winter or the biggest fraud in history? Christmas should be fucking banned and we can skip to the idiocy that comes with New Year's. Sad fuckers counting down to the beginning of a new calender year, hoping that, by some mystical means, all of their fuck ups will be wiped away for them to start anew, making wasy for even more Darwinian stupidity.

Edward slinks out, an amused smirk on his face. He lights a cigarette and looks at me, eyebrow raised, "Feel better, your royal bitchiness?" I roll my eyes and give him the number one sign. He chuckles, "You know, just because you have a massive fucking inferiority complex because you're a human doesn't give you the right to go all fucking psycho on us. If you had listened to the whole damn conversation Jake and I were having instead of doing it all half-assed, you would have known that we were just trying to find something fun for all of us to do. It had no real thing to do with who was human and who wasn't." I open my mouth to argue, but he raises a hand and glares at me, "No, you've said enough for a while little sister. You're my best friend and my sister, but I will not hesitate to smack the shit out of you if you fucking speak right now. You have no idea how fucking pissed off I am over your little fucking tantrum back there." He runs his hands through his hair and sighs, "You have had such a rough time dealing with all the bad shit that's happened and I understand that, but you need to grow the fuck up and stop throwing the tantrums every time shit don't work out the way you planned. Lashing out at people who love you is only going to result in you ending up bitter and alone, trust me."

I pull my bandanna off and scratch at my head absently. I'm at a loss for words really. I hadn't realized that I had been yelling so much. "Wow, "I stammer, "I didn't realize I'd been being that big of a bitch Edward. I'm sorry. I just, well, I was never a big fan of this time of year, it's full of religious and coporate bullshit...and then...I've never had a.....without....you know...." I let my voice trail off as the tears well up and threaten to flow over. I rub my eyes and try to will the tears to stop. I feel him kneel down beside me. "First one without your parents, I know kiddo," he murmurs as he reaches up and rubs slow circles on my back.

We sit for a few more minutes before he suggests we go in the house before I started getting pelted with snowballs. The rest of the family were on their way out to play in the snow. He escorts me into the house, then runs out to tackle Jake, launching them both into an immense pile of snow. "Fucking eternal teenage boys, they're going to be the death of me," I grumble and enter the pantry to find the ingredients to make hot chocolate.

After a round of hot chocolate, Jake manages to coerce me into going outside and goofing off for a while. I notice that the boys have the catapult up and running, heaving vamps and wolves alike across the field of shimmering white. I get close enough in time to see Seth be launched and subsequently furplode mid flight. A thought occurs to me as I see the strips of cloth. WIth a thought, I pull the shreds back together and mend them seamlessly. I get cheers from the werewolves, including a wolfish one from Seth as he lopes over the snow. I hand his clothes to him and he bounds into the house to dress. I take that time to apologize for my recent explosions and outbursts of anger. Luckily, unfairly, I'm forgiven. It once again leaves me wondering what I did to deserve such a loving family.

Our holiday vacation plans are completely, irrevocably altered when it continues to snow heavily in bursts similar to the first one we'd endured. This is how we find ourselves at my home two days before New Year's, gaping like a fish at Emmett's request. "You want us to do what?" asks Mischa. It's the human witches and Emmett in the library. Em and Allen have just explained their brilliant plan to get the vampires intoxicated. Allen chuckles, "What? It won't be difficult to fill up a few liquor bottles with animal blood that has been fused with tequila. I've already tested some out on Em and it's worked great." Emmett wraps one of his ginormous arms around my shoulder and gives me his best sad puppy face, "For me Nessie? You know you love me." I look to Mischa and Allen, who are trying to contain their laughter as they nod their approval at this insane plan. Em is nearly jumping up and down with unabashed excitement. After a few excruciating minutes I close my eyes pinch the bridge of my nose, "Someone go get Bella. It's going to take all four of us to hide our thoughts from Edward and skirt Alice's visions." Mischa laughs, "I'll call her, that'll keep Edward out of my head Nessie." I nod curtly and light a cigarette. This is going to be a long weekend. "Congratulations Allen, it's now your job to keep Edward and Alice out of Emmett's head until it's too late," I tell him smugly. He pales, "Why me?" I smirk at him, "Because this was partially your idea and if we get busted you and Emmett are taking 100% of the blame." He and Em groan, but agree after I threaten to withdraw my aid.

After Mischa returns with my sister, I make Allen and Emmett retell their grand plan and am surprised once more when she readily hops onboard. "Anything to see an inhebriated Edward," is her excuse. We end up locking ourselves into the panic room in the basement to concoct our brew. Bella brings in a few bags of human blood, only enough to sweeten the flavor, while Emmett and Allen go on their quest for enought animal blood. I gather enough tequila and liquor bottles so that each vampire can have their own. I know that under normal circumstances that a vampire couldn't get truly intoxicated by alcohol, but fusing the blood so it's very basis is alcoholic in respect to a vampire metabolism is the key. When our ingredients are gathered, Allen opens his mind so that Bella and I can see how he's figured it out and share it with Mischa before getting to work.

We pretty much hole ourselves into the panic room until New Year's Eve morning, when the last bottle is capped off. "This had better be worth it," I mutter as I drag my tired ass up to breakfast. Bella pats my back, "It will sis, we'll make sure of it." Jake gives me a perplexed expression as I fall down into the chair next to him. I lick the syrup off of his lips, causing him to forget his earlier distress at my fatigued posture. I sneak two Red Bull's in while he is on his third plate of blueberry waffles and am on my second cup of coffee when he wraps his arms around me, "You look tired honey," he murmurs in my ear, "Want to take a nap before Alice gets you?" I twist myself in his arms so I can look up at him. "Come lay down with me for a bit? I get cold without my wolfy." I ask in my most innocent voice. I can see his mood shift in his eyes. Desire emanates from every pore in his body. A low growl rumbles from his muscular chest as he nods and picks me up. I wave at my family as he races up the stairs to our room.

As soon as we're alone, he sets me on my feet and kisses me urgently, while his hands fumble at the buttons on my shirt. "Off," he growls as his lips seek out the tender flesh of my neck. I let my head fall back to give him better access as I unbutton my shirt. His hands come up and slide the shirt off. His warm hands discover that I hadn't bothered wearing a bra when he palms my breasts and his head immediately travels lower. I gasp and plunge my fingers into his silken hair as his lips find what they were seeking and he begins suckling greedily at my breasts, alternating between aching peaks. His free hand dances down my stomach and runs along the waistband of my jeans a few times before deftly popping the button and delving in. His hot palm cups my dripping sex and I can't swallow the moan that escapes me. "You're so fucking wet Carlie," he groans against my erect nipple,"I love that I can do that to you." He runs his knuckle along my wet slit, making my hips twitch in response.

"Jake, please, the bed," I gasp, unashamed of my extreme arousal. I look down to observe his intense assault on my breasts and his eyes, dark and heavy with lust, flit up and lock with mine. I shiver under his gaze and feel his lips curl into a smile against my skin. He pushes me back until my legs hit the bed, but he doesn't let me fall back on it. Instead, he quickly pulls each leg up and rakes off my socks and pants. "No underwear either, I like," he purrs as he drops to his knees and turns his lips to exploring my mound. I have to hold on to the foot-board to stay upright when his hands glide up my thighs and force my legs apart slightly. I can feel the wetness trickling down my quivering thighs now as his nose bumps the very edge of my slit. I jump as his tongue darts out and laps up the moisture leaking down my thigh. His hands come to rest on my hips, holding me firmly in place as he continues sucking and licking every place but where it aches the most. I can see my naked breasts heaving with every breath I take, shivering slightly as I inhale and exhale. I know I should care about the volume of the sounds coming out of my mouth, but can't seem to at that moment.

He gently pushes on my hips, signaling me to let myself fall back onto the bad. I eagerly comply, allowing my legs to fall open on impact, and instantly feel his hands move downward, his thumbs sliding between my folds as he pulls them apart. "You are so beautiful," Jake moans in a low, husky voice. His hot breath against my exposed sex causes another flood of moisture to escape. My body jerks in response to his tongue on my sensitive flesh, sucking up the new batch of nectar. I do my best to prop myself up on my elbows to watch him while struggling to ignore the spinning in my head. His hooded orbs find mine once more just as his teeth graze my sensitive bud. My gasps turn into high pitched moans as he nips and sucks on it, occasionally swirling his tongue around my clit just to make me cry out again. I can feel the tightening in my lower half, "Jake, I'm goin-going-" I stammer, unable to form a coherent thought as his fingers suddenly begin thrusting into me. He hums his approval against my clit and I break. My arms give out and I fall back on the bed as I rock my hips against him hard, my orgasm sweeping through me like a tidal wave.

I feel him stand up between my legs and he grabs my hips and pulls me to the edge of the bed. I open my eyes in time for him to pull my legs up and his arms slide under my knees. In a single swift movement of his hips, he sheaths himself to the hilt. I whimper at the wonderful sensation of being full again, our bodies fitting together perfectly. "You feels so good, so fucking tight around my cock," Jake growls as he begins pistoning in and out of me. I whimper at his words and I see a slight smirk, "You like me telling you that?" he asks, voice thick with lust. My hands tangle in my hair as I groan an affirmative. "More," I plead. "You're so fucking wet, I can feel your heartbeat pounding against my cock, it's driving me crazy," he answers. I tighten my internal muscles and he groans loudly, "That feels amazing, squeezing my cock like that. Keep that up and I'm gonna cum." "Harder," I gasp," Fuck me harder Jake." He fixes his grip on my legs and starts slamming into me in earnest, his stomach muscles rippling as he moves. "You like me pounding that tight little hole, don't you?" he snarls over the sounds of skin slapping against skin. "Ye-yes," I manage, my mind being overwhelmed with the feeling of him pumping into me so aggressively. I scream as orgasm after orgasm floods my senses, words reduced to mindless babbling while I am assaulted to deliciously. He pulls on me on my hips raise off of the bed, now hammering into me so hard it almost hurts. "I'm so fucking close, cum with me baby," Jake pleads as his ragged breathing changes, becomes more erratic. He shifts my hips and his hard member strokes a new spot. My back arches and my mind goes blank as the most powerful orgasm I've ever had tears through me. I can hear my own cries of ecstasy match his as he finds his own release.

His body falls over mine, his lips seeking mine. He lifts my body to his and I wrap my legs around him as he walks around the side of the bed. He lays back with me straddling him, never breaking contact. I lay on his chest, my hand over his heart and his fingers playing in my hair while we catch our breath. He brushes my damp hair from my face, "Love you," he whispers. "I hum in contentment, "Love you more."

Nap forgotten, we dress and slip back down to the living room. Emmett's booming laugh greets us, "Holy shit! You two should have seen Bella! She shot out of here like a bullet as soon as your door closed and the growling began!" I try to hide my face in Jake's side, he wraps a protective arm around me. "It's not like she doesn't know what goes on," Jacob defends, making Emmett laugh even harder. "I know, but she acted like she'd never heard people do the nasty before, it was great!" Em retorts, holding his sides. Jasper, who was playing against Emmett on the X-Box, pauses the game and turns to us, "I think you need to do that to Bella more often. It was as funny as Em said. Now, if you excuse me," he gets to his feet, "I think I'm going to find Alice." Emmett lifts his arm as Jasper strides passed, "Getting laid high five!" Jasper dodges it, "No more Scrubs for you." Emmett makes a face at him before turning back to his game, "Join me Jake?" Jake looks at me and I shrug my compliance. He gives me a quick kiss and snatches up Jasper's abandoned controller. I see Rose flit passed the doorway in the piano room and follow, "Hey Rose, this is going down up at the estate right? I mean, this place isn't big enough for the kind of party Alice was describing yesterday." Rose, who is now sitting at the piano, absently playing, nods, "Yes it is. That's where your sister and my brother ran off to, along with everyone else. Ali wrangled them all into helping her decorate. The New Year's Nazi is running amok over there and I'm keeping my ass firmly planted at your house until I have to go get ready." "I can definitely agree with that statement Rose, feel free to hide here any time," I answer honestly.

I make my way to the sun room after grabbing a Code Red out of the the fridge, then have to make a loop to retrieve my pack of smokes from my jacket. I curl up in one of the chairs and gaze out the window as I smoke. The clock tells me it's a little after 1 pm now. Damn, it had to have been almost 11 am when we finally came upstairs then. Not doing too bad though, only eight more hours until the party and subsequent drunken antics. After I stub out my menthol, I let my mind wander, taking inventory on my life the past year. Orphaned twice, finding my soul mate, being abducted, losing my mind, sister being turned into a vampire........

I awakened by warm lips pressing against my temple, "Come on sweetheart, it's almost six and there is still a party to get ready for," Jake coos in his husky voice. I stretch and realize that I'm not in my comfy chair. I'm in my comfy bed. Jacob snickers at my confused face. "I carried you up sweetheart, you were dead to the world," he explains while brushing my hair back again. I nod and throw the comforter off, "I need a shower," I mumble and start shuffling towards the bathroom. I turn the water on and strip down, immediately grateful for the tankless water heater when the hot water flows over my skin. I tilt my head back, letting the water saturate my frizzy locks, when I feel the glass door open, Jake step in, then close. "Mind having company?" he asks, I can hear his smile in his voice. "Not at all love," I answer as I move enough to share the shower heads with him. I'd be lying if I said our cleaning process wasn't a bit sensual, but we both understood that we had a limited amount of time before Alice appeared to start stuffing us into clothes and the Fashion Nazi cared very little if you were busy or not when she arrived.

Two hours and an eternity of girlie-type Guinea Pig Barbie shit, Alice deems me fit to attend her New Year's soiree. I'm wearing a black embroidered bustier that has open lacing up the ribcage, a leather school girl skirt that barely covers my ass, and thigh high black leather boots that have five buckles running up the side and 5 inch heels. Hair is coifed and curled, trailing down one side of my neck and alice did this amazing cats-eye look with the eye make-up. Wow. Oh shit, I'm the poster child for sexy Goth! Either that or my next job is going to be on a porn set. The black velvet gypsy shawl is the only item I already own that I'm allowed to wear. I timidly walk down the stairs, terrified that my Jacob is going to be pissed at the sudden reappearance of girlie/slutty Carlie Swan.

I am taken aback when his eyes meet mine. His gaze is so intense as it takes in my outfit. "Wow," he breathes, "You look, just wow. Breathtaking." I take in his attire as he takes my hand and presses his lips to my promise ring. He is dressed in well fitting black khaki's, charcoal button up, and a black suede blazer. He looks H-O-T. Fucking delectable, edible. Positively fuckable. He suddenly pulls me to him and kisses my bare neck, "I would take you upstairs right now and ravish you if I knew Alice wouldn't kill me for it," he whispers against my skin, making me tremble from head to toe.

"Okay, enough of that Jake, her make up is going to melt off if you keep it up!" Alice whines. Jake chuckles, "It's not my fault shorty, it's yours for showing me yet another facet of her endless beauty." Alice rolls her eyes, "Okay, who's been teaching the werewolf poetry?" Jasper shyly raises his hand and promptly gets elbowed by his wife. We all march out to the cars, the driveway freshly cleaned and salted earlier in the day. Jake holds the passenger side door open, "Milady, your chariot awaits." I wink at him and slide into the leather seat. He quickly shuts the door and goes round to the driver's side. "Ready to party?" he asks as we pull into our spot in the entourage. I nod, "Yes I am. It's a good night to forget all the bad shit and pretend to be a Gothic princess being swept away by her knight in not-so-shining armor." He gives me a look, "You have to pretend now? Hmph, I'll sweep you off of your feet as many times as you ever want honey, I promise. One tiny little fact you got wrong though." I cock and eyebrow, "Oh? What fact is that Jacob?" He gathers my left and and kisses it softly," You aren't the princess, my dear, you are the queen. Grown princesses are idiots and young princesses are for manipulating daddies."

We drive the rest of the way, fingers interlocked and in comfortable silence. I am so glad that everyone decided to take their time driving tonight, the roads are still a mess. We follow the little parade of expensive vehicles up the hidden lane, parking in front of the Cullen mansion. Jake lithely exits the car and has my door open before I have my seatbelt off, hand extended. I take it and we stroll into the house, hand in hand yet again.

The house is decorated in a gorgeous hunter green and gold theme. Alice and Esme are soaking in the compliments being thrown at them from all of us. Music is playing at a comfortable volume and I can smell the aroma of what is no doubt excellent cuisine drifting from the kitchen. The large living space has been moved around to accommodate a small dance floor and Edward's piano has been temporarily replaced by a pool table. It doesn't take long to get pulled into the fun. The witches hand out the anti-phasing bracelets to both wolf packs and don their own restricting bracelets. Sorry kids, no fireballs tonight. Within minutes of our arrival, Emmett and Allen are passing out the bottles of special liquor to the vampires while Edward and Jasper mixes drinks for everyone else. I lose my boots after the second hour of dancing, drinking, and air hockey.

Suddenly I am dragged onto the dance floor by a very inebriated Bella. "Dance with me!" she commands, giggling like the 17 year old she will forever be. As we dance, all of the girls end up on the floor with us, including Esme. We're dancing to 'Sexyback' by Justin Timberlake and we know we have the attention of the boys. Bella and I are dancing together again, one arm draped over the others shoulder, right legs placed between the others legs, just feeling the music. *_Want to mess with our boys?_* Bella thinks to me, impish grin plastered on her face. I shrug a shoulder and smile, I know what's going to happen because we'd done this once at a school dance in Phoenix. There wasn't a boy in the place that wasn't ogling after that stunt. We push our bodies close to one another, our undulations deepening, becoming more suggestive. My free hand drops to her bare hip and her free one digs itself into my hair, our faces mere inches from the other, lips nearly touching. *_Are they watching?_* I ask Bella, letting my hand dance along the bare skin at her waist. *_We have their undivided attention sis_* she assures me. *_Ready__?_* I grin *_As ready as I'll ever be. Let's knock them on their asses_.* And we crush our lips together, closed mouthed. I vaguely hear a thumb somewhere off to my right. "Damn! Seth fainted!" Emmett cries out, "That's so hot!" Then I feel too warms hands on my body, swaying in a matching rhythm. We pull apart and I open my eyes to see Edward holding Bella in a similar fashion to the way my werewolf is holding me. We let each other go, allowing our mates to claim our attention. Match and game. Swan sisters win 1-0. Take that Lauren Mallory.

Funny thing is, as soon as the boys are confident in their diversion, they are called over to a more than tipsy Carlisle. I try to listen, but it seems all of the guys want to sing a song to us girls, especially the patriarch of the Cullen clan. They seem to settle on a certain one and I soon hear new music being played on the stereo. I am nowhere near prepared for what happens next. A dozen drunk men, vampires, human, and werewolf, begin sauntering towards us as they sing the opening lyrics.

I want you to want me.  
I need you to need me.  
I'd love you to love me.  
I'm beggin' you to beg me.  
I want you to want me.  
I need you to need me.  
I'd love you to love me.

Edward sneaks up behind Bella and pulls her to him, singing in her ear.

I'll shine up the old brown shoes,  
put on a brand-new shirt.  
I'll get home early from work if you say that you love me.

Emmett smacks his wife on the ass and pulls an Elvis, gyrating his hips madly.

Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin?  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin?  
Feelin' all alone without a friend,  
you know you feel like dyin.  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?

I see Carlisle fall to his knees before Esme, his hands raised in reverence as his voice briefly carries over the others.

I want you to want me.  
I need you to need me.  
I'd love you to love me.  
I'm beggin' you to beg me.  
I'll shine up the old brown shoes,  
put on a brand-new shirt.  
I'll get home early from work if you say that you love me.

I see Allen lifting Leah into his arms and stroking her beautiful face while he croons to her.

Didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin?  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin?  
Feelin' all alone without a friend,  
you know you feel like dyin.  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?

Jasper grabs Alice by her hips and lifts her over his head, spinning in a circle as he sings to her.

Feelin' all alone without a friend,  
you know you feel like dyin.  
Oh, didn't I, didn't I, didn't I see you cryin'?

Jacob stops in front of me, kneeling as he takes my hand, singing softly up to me.

I want you to want me.  
I need you to need me.  
I'd love you to love me.  
I'm beggin' you to beg me.  
I want you to want me.  
I want you to want me.  
I want you to want me.

The song ends and our family turns to us.

"Well, you just heard how I feel about you Carlie Elizabeth, via the greatest love song ever written," Jake proclaims as he raises his free hand. "Think you could accept that kind of devotion forever?" he asks as he opens his hand to reveal a simple ring holding a blue stone. I'm stunned into silence until I hear Bella's whisper in my ear, "I think this is the part where you say yes." Oh shit. Right. "Y-yes," I rasp, not trusting myself to speak evenly in a full voice. Jake's grin grows impossibly big while he moves my promise ring to my right hand and replaces it with the new ring. He kisses it before jumping to his feet and kisses me senseless amongst the cheers of our family. I don't even hear the countdown for the ball drop.

**Bet you didn't see that coming!**

**Carlie's engagement ring on my profile for those who are interested!**

**Thank you to my devoted readers, I hope this makes up for the crappy last chapter I posted!**

**Broken record time.....REVIEW OR DIE DAMMIT!**


	34. Part 34 Small Victories

**I don't own. We all know that. Just covering my ass.**

**Stop Making Friends (****Pauley****Perrette****)- Fear**

Are you scared of the dark

Are you afraid they ll break your heart

Are you afraid you ll lose yourself

Are you afraid of your own health

Are you scared to lose

Are you afraid to choose

Are you afraid you ll win

Are you scared of your own sin

Are you scared to forgive

Are you afraid to live Are you afraid to die

Do you think you told a lie

Chorus:

To live When you think you re dying

To laugh When you feel like crying

To stand When you think you re gonna fall

It s just fear after all

It s only fear after all

Are you afraid you ll be alone

Are you scared to pick up the phone

Are you scared of the past

Do you think that you might crash

Do you think you re in too deep

Are you afraid to sleep

Are you scared there s no stability

Are you afraid of your own fragility

Chorus

To mend When you re think you re breaking

To strength When you know you re shaking

To pray When your back s against the wall

It s only fear after all

Are you scared of the end

Are you scared to begin

Are you scared of the start

Do you think they ll break your heart

Do you think they ll break your heart

Chorus

It s only fear

The only fear is fear itself

The only fear is fear itself

The only fear is fear itself

It s only fear

**Part 34**

**Small Victories**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

I officially hate spring break in any shape or form. The Denali's had decided that now was a good time to visit and work things out. Problem is, one of them seems to only be worried about working something out between herself and my fiance. When she's not trying to sexually assault Edward, she's making crude comments about my family. Tanya. Porcelain skinned, amber eyed, strawberry blond. Ugh, I hate this woman. She's been informed more than once to keep her hands and opinions to herself, but she must have an overabundance of the idiot gene because she still hasn't caught on. I'd happily claw her eyes out right now if Carlisle hadn't begged me to be patient for the sake of the family. Things are strained as it is, with Carlie and Jacob keeping the wolves at bay after numerous derogatory remarks aimed in their direction. Even with Carlisle's pleas, I don't know how many more insults the wolves or the family will endure before the entire situation goes supernova.

"Tanya, you say one more goddamn thing about my family and I'm going to throat you," I hear Rosalie growl from the living room. I hurry in, helping Emmett restrain his wife as the blond troublemaker swaggers off to the safety of her sister, Kate's, company. "Don't Rose, "Emmett warns, "She's trying to start shit honey. Don't give her the satisfaction." Rose snarls but relaxes in our grip. "Who was she bashing anyways Rosie?" her husband inquires. "Carlie, Allen, and Mischa," she spits, "Kate had better get a grip on her sister real soon if she doesn't want to become an only child." Emmett hugs her to him, "That's right baby, no one's allowing talking shit on our humans but us." "Take her outside Em, I'm going to talk to Edward. This has gone on too long," I inform him and lope off in search of my frazzled fiance.

I find him in Carlisle's study, feet on desk, eyes closed, fingers pinching nose. I slide into his lap and kiss his cheek, "What's the crisis of the day love?" I inquire as he opens his eyes and snakes his arms around my waist. "Tanya came up with a new tactic to get even with us. She's threatened to go to the Volturi for having humans in our midst and werewolves as allies," he responds in a tired voice. I brush a few stray locks out of his eyes," Don't they know that our humans are witches and the Quileutes aren't true werewolves?" He nods, "Truth or not, those little morsels would be enough to warrant a visit from the guard to evaluate the danger posed. The Volturi are already wary of us because of our high numbers and selective diet. Eleazar has warned us that they view us as a threat to their rule even though Carlisle has never shown an inkling of desire to rule anything or anyone. Things wouldn't be so bad if Tanya could just learn to keep her fucking mouth shut." "Well, there is a long line of people who are more than willing to help with that lesson," I offer as I kiss his silken lips. He cups my face in his hand, "I think I like jealous Bella. It's so fucking sexy, my girl getting defensive over me." I growl at him, "Well, it's not my fault that she was pretty much dry humping you during that supposed hug when they got here Edward. You can't tell me that she didn't notice our scent was all over each other." He lifts his hands from my face and makes a little clawing motion, "Rawr, mean kitty. You'd better stop, it's turning me on like you wouldn't fucking believe angel." I push myself out of his lap, "I'm going to try and talk Rose and Em into staying at Carlie's until this blows over. I don't like the idea of them being over there without one of us. If Tanya is stupid enough to go into the Wolves Den, someone has to be there to make sure she isn't killed outright for her idiocy." He shrugs, "Fuck it. Let her go over and get discombobulated or whatever, I'll sit on the sidelines and cheer for them." I glare at him, "And what will you do when one more thing gets pinned on my little sister and they start demanding her head again as compensation?" He rolls his eyes and pulls me back into his lap, "Well work it out love. She won't go over to the Den, she's too damn scared. Besides, if she fucks up too much, you witches can switch off turning her into random fruits and vegetables."

Just then Edward sits up, "Jake and Carlie are here." Oh shit. "Why?" I ask as we link hands and dart downstairs. "Carlie is tired of being kept in the dark. She wants a chance to explain, to do the right thing. Jake wouldn't let her come without him," he answers. The first thing I see is that awful black hoodie. Carlie's having a bad day. She always retreats into that hoodie when she's having trouble, pretends to be invisible. Jake has a finger hooked through a belt loop on the back of her jeans. "Where are they?" Carlie asks in a flat, emotionless voice. "In the living room," I reply. She doesn't lift her head as she enters, her shoulders hunched forward. I hate seeing that pose again. Jake's face is set into a mask of determination as he follows his mate. Edward and I exchange a single glance before stalking in after them.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

I have to do this, even if it kills me. I'm tired of seeing my family struggling to keep things calm and polite when I'm around when I know I'm the popular subject of discussion right now. It pisses me off that no one will talk about this shit with me. I wonder if they realize it just makes things worse. I have to explain things from my point of view, put all of this to rest once and for all. As Jake parks the car, I close my eyes and focus on keeping my breathing even and calm. "You don't have to do this Carlie," Jake whispers. I open the Challenger's door and climb out. I fix my hood so it's further down over my eyes and start towards the house, not waiting for Jake. He catches up, hooking his finger through my belt loop, as silent reminder that I'm not doing this alone. I hate that I'm not fucking strong enough to deal with this like a normal person. I hate that every time it seems like I'm going to be okay, I have another setback. I can't stand it that one day I'm fearless and the next I cower like and abused dog. As I climb the stairs, I see my sister and her fiance at the door, expectant. "Where are they?" I ask, knowing that Bella understands who I am inquiring about. Her eyes try to catch my own, but I keep them firmly to the ground and continue walking. "In the living room," she finally confesses as I pass by her.

"Carlisle, Esme, I'm coming in," I whisper right before entering the room. Esme appears takes my hand right as I enter, knowing that a hoodie day means a bad day for me. "Good morning my girl, " she breathes and risks a quick peck on my forehead. I lean into the kiss, "Morning mom, is everyone that needs to know here?" She nods, and I follow her in. She stays in front of me and I can tell from her posturing that she's in momma bear mode. Carlisle stands as we come in, his kind visage breaking into a beaming smile, "Carlie, what's the occasion daughter?" Carlisle is one of the few people I never cower from having contact with, so when he pulls me into a hug, I relish in the fact that no flashes come. "I came to tell my side of the story Carlisle. I'm so fucking tired of everyone fighting over me and what could or could not have happened," I admit. He doesn't reprimand me for my language but tugs on my hood, "Are you sure this is a good day for that dear?" I let out a shuddering sigh," I have to. This is our family that's in danger of being torn apart and I think I can help them understand so I have to try." He and Esme give me a look that tells me a lot. They love me, they're proud of me, they think I'm brave to do this. Ha. Brave. Well, we'll have to see about that.

Jake's hand moves from my waist and under the back of my shirt, his fingers stroking the bare flesh of my spine. "I'm right here Nessie," he assures me, "Love you." I smirk," Love you more." I turn to face the rest of the vampires lounging around in time to see the bitch, Tanya, settling herself on the arm of the white sofa. "Does the dog have to be here for this?" she sneers, flipping her curls out of her face. "He's part of this family now Tanya, please attempt to maintain a civil tongue with my daughter," Carlisle chides from behind me. She rolls her eyes," How in the world can you even consider this stinking human your daughter when she willingly mates with a mongrel Carlisle? I'd rather be dismembered." I glare at her, "Do you want to hear this or do you want to keep running your mouth until I rip out your fucking tongue?" She's the only one who laughs, "And how does a little human girl get so brave?" she gets to her feet, "Not all of us are as full of pity for you humans as Carlisle. Just because I won't drink your blood doesn't mean I won't snap your neck you little dog fucker." I draw my will, "And I have no fucking problem destroying anything or anyone who threatens my family. That's why Laurent died you bitch. He was trying to turn me into a fucking snack and I fucked up his whole world. Now sit the fuck down or you can join him." She draws herself to her full height, a growl ripping through her chest, "Wrong answer human." She drops into a crouch and before anyone else can react, we hear a roar of unbridled fury as another vampire slams into her, launching them both through a window and into the yard. It's Bella and she's really pissed off. "Holy shit!" Jake, Edward, and I exclaim in one voice. "She really shouldn't have pissed Bella off," Emmett states, "I almost feel sorry for the bitch. Almost."

I run to the broke window that my family has ran to, listening to to cacophony of shrieks and snarls as my sister unleashes her rage on Tanya. I can see the impact crater and Bella kicking the blond square in the chest, sending her crashing through one of the many boulders scattered about the acreage near the river. The rock shatters on impact, crumbling around Tanya. Bella doesn't stop her attack, instead choosing to push the advantage. She dives at the elder vampire once more, but Tanya retaliates with a kick of her own, catching my sisters shoulder. Bella is thrown back, nearly colliding with the house when she, surprisingly, lands in a crouch. Tanya is already barreling towards her, shrieking like a banshee. Bella immediately leaps at her and it sounds like boulders smashing together when they hit. Tanya screams when Bella's teeth find purchase on her shoulder. She bites down and pulls tries to gain an advantage on my furious sibling, but Bella maintains her dominance by picking Tanya's thoughts from her head. Tanya's arm goes sailing into the river. They are beginning to move so fast that all my mind registers is darting blurs across the field that makes up the back yard.

At one point, Tanya tries to rake Bella with her claws, but my sister dances out of the ways and responds by jumping over her head and grabbing two handfuls of strawberry blond hair. The momentum causes Tanya to flip over my sisters head and slams into a tree upside down. I would have been comical if Bella hadn't decided in that moment to remove her opponents remaining arm. I can hear my sisters constants growling and realize that she's talking, it's just too fast for me to understand. "What's she saying to Tanya?" I ask Edward. He glances at me briefly, "She asking for me to stop her before she kills Tanya," then jumps off the ledge after his mate. Jake picks follows suit, phasing in mid jump. I grab Emmett as he leaps, he keeps a carefully hold on me until we land near my werewolf. As we surround the duo, I hear the howls of our wolf family echoing throughout the clearing. They're here and they're very angry. "Tanya, you'd better give up now, before the rest of our family gets involved," I say as step forward to stand beside my mate, "The wolf beside me is an Alpha and he's super pissed that you're fucking with his sister. Oh, and so is the rest of the pack. We don't fight as pretty as our vamps, so I can't guarantee anyone would be able to patch you back up when we're done with you." She glares at me, hate and pain swirling in her blackened orbs."You?" she gasps, "But you're not a dog." I go to jump at her, but Carlisle grabs me. "You're right, I'm not," I snap," I am something much fucking worse than a werewolf or a vampire you stupid bitch. But the one thing you didn't consider is, that fucking Alpha who is waiting to kill you? He's my mate, Tanya. Congratulations bitch, you've managed to piss off every fucking vampire and werewolf in the area." Edward, who has gathered Bella in his arms, snarls, "I think you need to leave Tanya. You've threatened my mate, my little sister, her mate, and everyone in between. Get the fuck out of here before we decide to fucking end you." Tanya struggles to get to her feet, growling something so low that I can't catch it. Next thing I know, Bella springs from Edward's arms and collides with the mutilated vampire. Bella lets out a feral scream and Tanya's head goes flying through the air. It lands on the riverbank. Bella's down there in a flash, kicking the head across the river and into the forest.

Kate takes a tentative step towards Bella and the darkest, most feral growl I've ever heard rumbles out of my sister. "Stay the fuck away from me," Bella spits and Kate halts, puzzled and more than a little frightened. Edward and Rose take Bella's hands and lead her into the house, leaving the Denali's stunned. I lay my hand on my wolf as Emmett wraps a protective arm around my shoulders. Mischa and Allen approach alongside their wolves, Embry and Quil flanking them. They come to a stop beside us and together we form a line between the Denali's and the house. "I will not abide anyone threatening my children or my family Kate. She knows this, you know this. Recover Tanya's limbs and inform her if she ever enters our territory again, her life is forfeit," Carlisle states in a clear, even tone, "This travesty could have been avoided completely if she had simply exercised self control. All we have done is be honest and open over the unfortunate events that have transpired. Tanya was warned more times than she should have been about her despicable behavior and chose not to heed the warnings. She has now suffered the consequences of that decision. I understand if your coven no longer deems it necessary to be on amicable terms with us, and although that will sadden me, my family and my children come first and foremost."

Kate looks to her ruined sister and back to Carlisle, "We will always be family Carlisle. I, personally, am appalled by Tanya's behavior. It was well within Bella's right to defend her mate from my sister's advances. Like you said, Tanya chose not to listen and paid the price of that. As for the wolves, I see how they are tied to you and will not contest it. I know that there is another factor that you are not revealing but I feel that you're doing this at their behest, since they are your family."

"What about the issue with Laurent and Irina? Is it done?" Carlisle inquires, tawny eyes searching his friends face. Kate's eyes flicker to me briefly before nodding, "We know the human was defending herself from Laurent and that none of you had anything to do with Irina's disappearance. Curiosity satiated. Now we do our best to move on, it's the only thing we can do. However, there is a different matter I'd like to discuss with you in private before we go." Carlisle nods and smiles, "Come hunting with us tonight then. I know it would be an excellent opportunity to talk while we get the necessary nourishment for Tanya." Kate looks to her family, who give their consent. "Of course Carlisle. It's been awhile since we've hunted together anyway." With that, the elders of the clans retreat to the house, leaving us to watch the others hunt for body parts.

I lean down to Jacob's ear, "Why doesn't everyone else come over to our house and unwind?" He offers his rumbling purr in agreement instead of his thoughts. I kiss between his ears, "I'll get a couple pairs of sweats out of the trunk, call in the kids love." His barking cough/laughter warms me as he watches me shuffle off around the house.

Once home, the collective breath that has been held for months is finally let out. Even my horrific mood is lightened as we sit outside, watching each other be launched out of the catapult or fencing in the yard. Bella and Edward are the last to show up, but even my sister has a soft smile playing at her lips when she gives me a crushing hug. "I love you sis," she whispers before allowing herself to be dragged off by Emmett and Quil, who are recounting the 'smackdown' she put on Tanya. Edward also gives me a fierce hug and a peck on the forehead, "Love you too little one," he utters in a low voice before eyeing my hood with absolute loathing, "I still fucking hate that hood," he growls and yanks it back. His eyes show no remorse as he lets me go to follow his fiancee and the spontaneous party that has begun to erupt around us. We can be happy, for now, with this small victory.

**OBKB**** ANOTHER SHORTISH CHAPTER..WELL, SHORT FOR ME...SORRY ABOUT THAT...I'M REALLY TRYING TO KEEP THINGS GOING AND KEEP THEM INTERESTING AT THE SAME TIME!**

**THANKS TO MY READERS...I SERIOUSLY LOVE YOU GUYS, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE YELLING AT ME FOR NOT GIVING YOU WANT YOU WANT.**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	35. Part 35 Something Wicked This Way Comes

**Yeah, I still don't own anything copyrighted, Twilight or otherwise.**

**Three blondes were taking a walk in the country when they came upon a line of tracks.**

**  
The first blonde said, "Those must be deer tracks!"**

**  
The second blonde said, "No, stupid, anyone can tell those are rabbit tracks!"**

**  
The third blonde said, "No, you idiots, those are horse tracks!"**

**  
They where still arguing ten minutes later when a train hit them.**

**Foo Fighters- All My Life**

All my life I ve been searching for something Something never comes, never leads to nothing Nothing satisfies, but I m getting close Closer to the prize at the end of the rope All night long I dream of the day When it comes around and it s taken away Leaves me with the feeling that I feel the most Feel it come to life when I see your ghost

Calm down, don t you resist You ve such a delicate wrist And if I give it a twist Something to hold when I lose my grip

Will I find something in there? To give me just what I need Another reason to bleed One by one hidden up my sleeve x2

(chorus) Hey don t let it go to waste I love it but I hate the taste Weight, keep pinning me down) x2

Will I find a believer? Another one who believes Another one to deceive Over and over down on my knees

If I get any closer And if you open up wide And if you let me inside On and on I got nothing to hide x2

(chorus)x2

All my life I ve been searching for something Something never comes, never leads to nothing Nothing satisfies, but I m getting close Closer to the prize at the end of the rope All night long I dream of the day When it comes around and it s taken away Leaves me with the feeling that I feel the most Feel it come to life when I see your ghost

Then I m done done, on to the next one Done done, and I m on to the next one x6 Done I m done and I m on to the next Done done on to the next one Done I m done and I m on to the next one Done done on to the next one Done I m done and I m on to the next

(chorus)x2

Done done on to the next one Done I m done and I m on to the next

Part 35

Something Wicked This Way Comes

(Bella's POV)

"A fucking year has gone by and the Volturi are just now even thinking about investigating what happened out in the desert?!" Edward roars at his adopted father, "Bella and Carlie were fucking tortured, a newborn army was raised and destroyed out there and those motherfuckers are just now finding their balls to come out and see what happened for themselves?! You've got to be fucking kidding me!" He rakes both hands through his hair, making it stand on end thus giving him the eerie visage of a madman. I quietly slide my hands up and down his back, hoping to calm my infuriated mate. At the moment, I'm glad that the Denali's had spoken their piece to Carlisle and then left us as quickly as they'd come. I had a feeling that at least one of them would have suffered the wrath of Edward if they had chosen to stay.

Carlisle is nearly as upset as the rest of us, but fights to keep his tone neutral. "That is essentially what Kate said, "he admits, "Though she believes, as we do, that their investigation would have more to do with our familial size than the events that occurred out in the sands. Those who rule our kind are uneasy with larger covens to begin with. If our unique situation has been made known to them, I would expect nothing less than a full inquisition at this point. We will have very limited options should they choose to follow through with this whim. Alice, can you see a decision being made as of yet?" The elfin vampires eyes glaze over briefly, our only answer being a tiny frown less than a minute later. "No Carlisle," she pouts," They have left that decision for a later date. I think they're waiting on something before it gets made. Sorry."

Carlie flicks her cigarette into the night and pushes herself off of the doorframe, her cocoa eyes dark and thoughful, "The Volturi are going to have a big fucking problem with us humans, we already know that, but what is going to make shit worse is if our magic is discovered. The only options we'll have then is fight them now or run and fight them later. I personally vote to end this shit ASAP because I'm tired of running. Let's just roast their asses so we can get on with our lives."

Emmett's guffaw's fill the space," Now that's a plan! Nothing like a good offense, eh little sister?" He winks mischievously at my younger sibling, "We just send them packing at the first sign of horseshit. Between us, the wolves, and the witches, we've got our collective asses covered from pretty much every angle, even if they send a larger than normal squad to give us a looksie. We'll need to coordinate teams and work on new tactics obviously, but our combined experience more than makes up for the relatively young ages of most of our family. If they make that decision we would also have to nail down a time and place for our little showdown to keep them at a constant disadvantage. The witches can take turns shielding us from those jerks so we can prepare without prying eyes that way those jackasses won't ever know what hit them!"

Jasper smirks at his brother, "Holy shit Carlisle, I think Frankenstein here may have kick-started his brain for a little while. I hate to say it Emmett, but I'm impressed. Who would've thought Em would get his head out of the X-Box long enough to string that many words together?" Emmett gives him the number one sign and looks back to the patriarch, "So what do we do about it pops?" Carlisle spares a glance at his sons before nodding, "I think it would be a very good idea to formulate both an offensive and defensive strategy."

Jacob rubs his face wearily, "Look, sorry if I burst everyones bubble here, but until a decision is made, I'd say keep doing what we have been doing. Keep training, keep our eyes open, and stay the hell out of trouble. If we go and start shaking things up, we will have no idea of what's coming at us until it's too late. If we can at least stay under the radar until the summer, we stand a better chance of survival because then we won't be split up by school and such."

Rose throws down her magazine with a huff, "We can sit and debate this forever but there are a few key points that have been overlooked, especially by my lug of a husband. It could be half a century before they make any kind of plan to come and check on us or it could be tomorrow. Between the kids and the pups, Alice's visions aren't 100% and therefore we cannot allow ourselves to count on her to keep our asses out of hot water, no offense Tink." Alice smiles and offers a small, "None taken Rose," before situating herself in Mischa's lap who, in turn, begins braiding the pixies long locks.

After a little while of whispered conversations, Leah jumps to her feet and motions for Jake and Sam to follow her outside. "What is she up to?" I ask Allen, who shrugs and gives me his cocky smile, "Not my secret to tell Bellaboo. I guess you're going to have to be patient like the rest of us." I snort at his comment just as Carlie nods to herself then dashes after the werewolves. A few seconds later, I hear my sister summoning Edward and Jasper, who jump out the open doors. That seems to thaw everyone out. Esme and Seth retreat to the kitchen to make dinner while Carlisle and Emmett start conducting a major overhaul to their hunting schedule. I end up curled on the couch against Embry, both of us reading from his copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy while the other wolves play on the X-Box.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

As I watch Leah, Sam, and my Jacob walk outside, an idea occurs to me. One of our biggest problems is going to be the Volturi wanting to wipe out the wolves. Carlisle had informed us that the Italian vampires would not honor any treaty made with them even if they knew that the Quileutes were not true Children of the Moon. In the beginning, we had to use magic to buffer the scents of the vamps and the wolves so they could stand to be around one another, letting it wane at a slow pace until both sides we desensitized. They are only immune to the scents of the members of the family, but that's not a bad thing because it deciphers us from the bad guys. What if we hid the scent of the wolves completely? Should I take my idea to them? A few minutes of debating while I gaze upon my dysfunctional family and my mind is made up. I'd do anything to protect them. I nod to myself and chase after the pack leaders, hoping i don't sound like an idiot.

I find them down by the river, skipping rocks as they converse. Jacob catches my scent first and winks, "What's up honey?" I light a cigarette and shrug a shoulder as I come to a stop in front of the trio, "I have an idea that could protect the wolves when the Volturi show up. We would have to practice with it but not use it in full force until we absolutely need to because if we screw up, it will put us in bigger danger. Do you remember how we had to buffer scents so the instinct to off each other could be controlled?" I focus on kicking a small rock between my feet while they give confirmation. "Well, what if we could figure out a way to filter out the distinctive vampire and werewolf odors, leaving only the human smell? That way the Volturi wouldn't know who was what when they came across the trails?" I finish, feeling immediately and irrevocably stupid under their confused glares. Finally Sam speaks up, "But would that work?" I take a drag and sigh, "I don't know for sure, that's why I said we'd have to work with it. There might even be a chance to actually shift everyone's scents too, hopefully rendering us invisible to them until they actually see us. I could call for reinforcements, they helped us the first time, with the buffers, and then again when we had to help Alexi and Nicoli." They nod so I call for Edward and Jasper.

When they arrive, I explain my ideas once again and watch their faces of chagrin transform into devious smirks. After some serious discussion on how to proceed, we agree to start working on it in the morning. Fog creeps in as we're talking, further chilling the air. I try to ignore it, but it's not easy when my hoodie is soaked clean through. Jake eventually notices me shivering beneath my hoodie and scoops me up into his arms, "Let's get you in the house before you get sick sweetheart," he murmurs before kissing me softly. He holds me tight to his warm chest, careful not to jostle me as he lopes through the mist towards the mansion. I spy Carlisle slipping out the door and padding down to the gathering on the riverbank. "They're going to fill Carlisle in so they can get to researching how far we can push this," Jake explains as we enter the house.

My nostrils are assaulted by the delicious aroma of stir-fry wafting out from the kitchen right before my fiance unceremoniously dumps me onto the couch beside Rosalie. "Asshole," I growl as I get to my feet. He snickers and kisses my forehead before heading back out. Rosalie rolls her eyes at his infantile antic, "Maybe I should get you a shock collar for graduation, that way all you have to do to get him to behave is press a button," she offers. I grimace as I see a few water spots on the couch, "Don't tempt me Rose, I might take you up on that." I shuffle towards the stairs, pulling my hoodie off as I go. "Bella, I am going to get a shower and steal some of your clothes, mine are soaked," I mumble as I head to her and Edward's room.

I don't bother with the light as I weave through the bedroom and enter the hidden bath. I flip the light switch to see that underthings, sweats, a tee shirt and new black hoodie sitting on the vanity beside a bag of my preferred toiletries. I turn the shower on and strip quickly before plunging under the scalding spray. As my body relaxes, I can feel the cold metal of my many piercings warm against my skin. The ribbons in my forearms growing dark under the steamy cascade. My scars are the first to turn an angry pink as I lather my hair up, the rich foam tickling my back as gravity works its magic. I rinse my hair and put in the conditioner before letting my head and body find purchase against the tiles. My eyes fall closed and my mind begins spewing flashes of that horrid concrete room that mix with the battles that followed. Remembering the numbness that came with the beatings and rapes offset by the adrenaline rush and power trip that accompanies rending an enemy vampire to smoldering little pieces. I let my body slide down the wall until my rear comes in contact with the floor. I wrap my arms around my knees and rest my head against them as visions yet another battle for the right to simply exist consume me.

I feel someone sit down beside me. Cold hands pull me against them and I realize that it's Bella. Her shaking form mimics my own, her tearless sobs matching my own tearful ones. She helps me out of the shower and into my clothes. We curl up on the bed, holding one another like we did when we were small. Jake and Edward silently join us sometime during the night, squeezing in around us. No one has to explain to us who or what is at stake. Tonight, the last shreds of the illusion we called our teenage lives were stripped away, erasing what was left of the teenage girls that we were meant to be. That is why we hold each other tight and cry. We're mourning for ourselves, for our family, for what our lives should have been. We say farewell to those chocolate eyed twin witches, those little girls who had came to Forks hoping to escape the pain of their parents death. Tomorrow, when the sun rises, we will smile and pretend that we're still those girls because we must, but we'll know the truth. James truly did create a pair of monsters in that month of torture and rape, but I don't think he had ever intended on us having enough free will to direct it on our own. Of course, I also don't think anyone would ever believe that two doe eyed girls and their discombobulated family were going to destroy the Volturi either.

I wonder if anyone has bothered to warn the Volturi about what happens when someone fucks with our family?

**Okay, I know not much got done this chapter, but I felt it necessary to reveal what ****Carlisle**** and Kate talked about, but I didn't want to throw everyone back into day to day life without a little bit of fallout over the info...**

**Thank you, wonderful reviewers!!!!!!**

**REVIEW OR DIE!**


	36. Part 36 Coups and Monsters

**Broken record time..I don't own anything copyrighted...**

**Sorry if things aren't up to par, I've been home alone while my family is on vacation and my hubby usually looks over things with me. My other source of moral support just got a new job and has been working 50+ hours a week so they can take care of their family (You know who you are..****Congrads**** BTW!) so I've been trudging on solo, tripping and falling on my face often. I hope I haven't disappointed too much these past few chapters.**

**AC/DC- Dirty Deeds**

If you're havin' trouble with your high school head/huh, huh, huh, huh He's givin' you the blues/huh, huh, huh You wanna graduate but not in 'is bed/huh, huh, huh, huh Here's what you gotta do/huh, huh, huh Pick up the phone, I'm always home/huh, huh, huh, huh, huh Call me anytime/huh, huh, huh Just ring: three-six-two-four-three-six, hey I lead a life of crime

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap

You got problems in your life of love/huh, huh, huh, huh You got a broken heart/huh, huh, huh He's double-dealin' with your best friend/huh, huh, huh, huh, huh That's when the teardrops start FELLA, well-uh/huh, huh, huh Pick up the phone, I'm here alone/huh, huh, huh, huh, huh Or make a social call/huh, huh, huh, huh Come right in, forget about him We'll have ourselves a ball, eh

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, oohh Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap Whoa yeah

You got a lady and you want her gone/huh, huh, huh, huh But you ain't got the guts/huh, huh, huh She keeps naggin' at you night 'n' day/huh, huh, huh, huh Enough to drive you nuts/huh, huh, huh, huh Pick up the phone, leave her alone/huh, huh, huh, huh It's time you made a stand/huh, huh, huh, huh For a fee, I'm happy to be Your back door man, hey

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds done dirt cheap Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap, yeah Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap Dirty deeds and they're done dirt cheap Concrete shoes Cyanide T.N.T Done dirt cheap Ooo, neckties Contracts High voltage Done dirt cheap, eah

Dirty deeds, do anything you want me to, done dirt cheap Dirty deeds, dirty deeds, dirty deeds, done dirt cheap

Yaaagh

**Part 36**

**Coups and Monsters**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"Come on guys, if you don't fucking listen, we'll never get this right," I complain as I wipe the water off of my face. The rain that's fallen steadily for the past three days has both helped and hindered our family's efforts to familiarize themselves with the purely human scent of each other and how to track one another by it. Allen sloshes is way to my side, "I thin a break is in order, Bella and Esme went to the campsite to get the food started." I nod and face the clearing," Okay, lunch time! We'll come back down this evening." I know I'm not in charge, but with everything going on, the pace has been set by the witches since we were expending the most energy perfecting these plans to keep our family alive. Jacob pads up beside me, his fur darkened but twinkling with water droplets. I scramble up onto his back and settle in with my cheek laying on the back of his neck as he digs his nails into the earth, then launches into a steady run towards our campground. We had chosen a remote part of Canada to spend our spring break at. It was an exceptionally isolated spot that offered plenty of hunting opportunities for the vampires and werewolves, if they wished to take advantage of it.

Once all of the wolves and humans are accounted for, the vampires leave to make a quick hunting trip. The rain had begun to fall harder as we climbed the hill and once we had reached the pavilion, Alice informed us that it would stay that way all afternoon unless we were going to start trying to tamper with the weather. Messing with the weather wasn't the best thing to do because it had a tendency to produce disastrous consequences like droughts and tsunami's if you don't get things perfect the first time. We don't tempt the weather gods today.

"Here, you have to eat sweetheart," Jake urges as he pushes a plate into my hands. I look down to inspect what he'd gotten for me. Grilled chicken, potato salad, and Doritos. I suddenly feel like I'm at a backyard cookout. "Thanks love," I mumble. I don't have much of an appetite, but it will keep him quiet if I just shut up and eat, so that's what I do. I watch the others occasionally flinging food at one another as they eat, so I find a dry spot under a large pine tree to safely lounge. Jake reappears with his own plate and seats himself beside me. We eat in comfortable silence, observing the childish antics with twin smirks of amusement on our faces. Sam's pack has joined us for a few days and that has amplified the normal insanity that comes with feeding teenage werewolves. They are so cleaning this camp up after lunch.

"Carlie, Jared won't stop fucking with me!," Mischa whines from the shelter. I roll my eyes at Jake's grin. "Turn him into a fucking poodle then give him one of those funky haircuts Misch," I answer curtly, willing my half-full plate into one of the trash bags set aside for waste. "I was just joking around and she didn't like it," Jared defends, moving away from the pissed off witch and into a camp chair on the opposite side of the shelter. I light a menthol and stretch my legs out in front of me while giving the the rain an evil glare.

I can't stop a shiver from coursing through me when a light breezes kicks up. Jake sets his empty plate aside and moves so that his back is against the tree and my back is pressed to his torso. "Better?" he asks as his heat begins spreading through my chilled form. I nod slightly and rest my head against him, "We're actually doing better than I thought we'd be, especially for only doing it this way for four days," I admit while sending his plate after mine, "By the time we go back to school, we should have it damn near perfect. Once that happens, we can just do a refresher every week or so until we have a better idea of when this shit is going to happen." He winds his hands around my waist and locks his fingers together, "Yeah, it's pretty cool that Seth was the one to think of coming out in the middle of nowhere to do this to keep the changing scents away from home, that kid is smarter than he looks. I can't complain about the rain though, everybody needs the rest, not to mention tempers are beginning to flare." Allen is nice enough to levitate two mugs of steaming coffee over to our little spot while we discuss the mornings progress and what changes can still be made.

The rest of the gang take the time off to catch up on sleep. I eventually have to force Jacob follow suit because he starts drifting off while I talk. Stupid uncanny ability to sleep anywhere at anytime. He only agrees after I promise to lay down with him and try to catch a few Z's myself. Luck must be with me today because after the gentle cadence of the rain lulls me to sleep in the embrace of my beloved, I don't dream at all.

"Wake up sweetheart," I hear as my mind returns from the oblivion that was sleep. I feel his hand stroking my hair down my back in a comforting rhythm. "I'm up," I mumble, marginally aware that the words sound like mush as they leave my mouth. Jake chuckles softly, "Do you want dinner or do you want to sleep some more? Bella made me wake you to ask, threatened to turn me into a sheep then shave me if I didn't." I roll onto my back and scratch my stomach as I stretch "What time is it?" I manage to get out more clearly. I open my eyes to see his beautiful face hovering over mine, "About 7. Carlie, you've only slept about four hours, if you want to grab a few more, I won't stop you." I shake my head and kiss the tip of his nose, "Nah, I'm good now, just need to get a few Red Bulls in me." His eyes search my face for a few moments, but finally smiles and nods after realizing my sincerity, "Okay honey, put this on then," he pulls his hoodie off and pushes into my arms, "I even warmed it up for you." After a not so chaste kiss, he exits the tent while I pull on the huge hoodie.

I emerge to find dozens of Tiki torches lit and most of the guys wrestling around on the other side of the clearing. The gloom created by the fading light feels thick and heavy as I trudge to where Jacob is removing two cans from a cooler. "What the hell are those apes up to?" I ask as he opens the first can and hands it to me. He cracks open his own and shrugs as he takes a drink, "I wouldn't know, I've been up about three minutes longer than you, but if I had to venture a guess, I would say that they were working on grappling." I dig in the side pocket of my cargo pants and retrieve my crumpled pack of smokes, "I'm sure. Like they needed another reason to fondle each other," I taunt as I light a cigarette. Jake rolls his eyes and chuckles, "Maybe we should have brought a video camera and made some money off of it." I bury my head in his arm as I laugh at his joke. Unfortunately, the others heard his little quip as well. In a flash, they've mobbed him and are carrying him over to their gathering. I watch with unabashed mirth, drinking my Red Bull as my fiance gets mauled by our brothers. Leah brings me dinner and I scarf it down quickly after realizing that everyone is preparing for a night practice.

That is how our spring break is spent. Training, goofing off, and dealing with spring storms in the wilderness of northern Canada. Ironically, the day we return to Forks, it's sunny and a balmy 72 F, but is rainy and 40F by dusk that night. Fate must have a fucked up sense of humor, having the rain follow us like that. School resumes with little fanfare, but that's expected at this point.

Time passes as we live our lives, but the sword hanging over our necks is never far from our minds. Us witches gather two nights a week after to school to experiment and practice together. Two nights a week we practice with either the vampires or werewolves and the other two nights a week our whole gang runs to another part of the region to train. We do our best to keep the chaotic scents and odors away from the area surrounding Forks, it's just one of many new precautions taken in a proactive effort to stay safe.

One rare day off in mid-May, we all made the decision to gather at the Cullen house and spend the day doing lazy things like watching movies, fighting the X-Box, or playing pool. Bella and I are sprawled out on the floor behind the couch, our heads in Edward's lap while Jacob massages my feet. Jasper is reading some of his original poetry compositions while Alice flits around, fussing with the bouquets of exotic flowers. Mischa and Seth are battling Emmett and Rosalie in a game of pool. Most of the family are outside in the pool, trying to drown each other. I can see Alice's eyes glazing over now and then, searching as many possible futures as she can, no matter how many times Jas tells her to let it go for a little while. I'm half asleep, lulled by Jasper's slow drawl, when I feel Edward tense up. I open my eyes in time to see Alice drop one of the crystal vases. As it shatters on the hard wood, I realize that I have never seen a vampire accidentally drop anything, ever.

We're instantly on our feet, but Jasper is already at her side. "What's wrong darlin', you're scarin' me," I hear Jasper whisper, his southern accent overtaking his voice. She doesn't answer so I look to Edward, "What is it?" He is still as a statue, his buttery eyes locked on our sisters tiny frame. I reach out with my mind, trying to connect with theirs and am brought to my knees by the images as I hear the frantic footsteps of our family. Bella falls beside me, our arms locked around one another while our minds are assaulted by Alice's vision, Jake standing over us protectively all the while. "What's going on?" Carlisle's concerned tenor cutting through the scenario unfolding in the corridors our my mind. "They're coming," Edward and Alice answer in a single voice, "All of them." "Who?" Mischa demands. "The Volturi," Bella and I answer. "When?" asks Leah, her husky voice quivering. "Soon," Alice responds, "After graduation." "We'll be able to plead our case, right?" Esme's voice in full 'Mom' mode. "They'll make a show of listening, but they're coming for one purpose. Death," Edward's velvet voice unexpectedly cracks on the last word. Fuck me running.

As the four of us regain control of our senses, the room stays silent as a tomb. I open my eyes to see both Edward and Jacob now hovering over my sister and I. They turn and drop to our level when they hear us move. Jacob draws me into his arms, "You alright honey?" he inquires, his panic barely hidden. I nod, what else can one do in this situation. "My head hurts, "I tell him, surprised with how raw my voice sounds. He picks me up and cradles me to him, "We can do this Carlie," his lips move against my ear, "We will win." I barely register the fact that the rest of the family has begun arguing as Jacob ghosts through the house and outside into Esme's garden. He lowers us onto a bench and covers me with whisper soft kisses and silken caresses to calm me. "Jake, we can't stay out here and hide," I complain, "We should be inside, finalizing plans with everyone else." He chuckles, but there is no humor in the sound, "What is it with you Swan's and your lack of self preservation?" I press my lips against his neck, "It's a gift. Now let's get back to our damn family before someone decides to go storm Voltera before we get a chance to help." He sets me on the bench and gets to his feet. I jump onto his back before he can turn to help me up, "Mush wolfy," I jest as I secure my limbs around him. He gives me a half smile, half growl, and begins jogging back towards the house.

(Bella's POV)

"We're going to have to find a way to keep them from getting close to town," Edward states while pulling me further onto his lap. Emmett and Allen look up from their prviate conversation, "We could always go level Voltera," Allen offers enthusiastically, "It's not like they'd be able to stop us if they are all coming here." I expect the idea to be shot down immediately, but no one voices a protest. Suddenly Alice jumps out of Jasper's lap and starts bouncing excitedly. "That will work! That will work!" she gushes as she hops. Of all the plans we had devised since discovering that the Volturi may visit, this has been the only one she has reacted to like this. Carlisle's face becomes a mixture of sadness and hope, "Is it the only way Alice?" She concentrates for a minute, then bobs her head, "It's the only one that we all walk away from Carlisle. Overthrowing their private city will break the Volturi's stranglehold on our kind and allow better leaders to emerge." Carlisle sighs and nods his head, "Then I guess we are taking a trip to Italy." Alice bounds over to him, catching his arm as he exits the room, "The Denali's go with us. If they stay, they die." "I will call them," Esme offers. Carlisle gives his consent and she follows him upstairs to his study.

I catch a glimpse of Carlie and Jacob slipping back into the room while the rest of us discuss strategy and make arrangements. Alice informs us that we will have to be in the air ten hours before the Volturi are set to arrive, so we opt to reserve a private jet and keep it on stand by to leave at a moments notice. The wolves concoct a cover story for the now imminent mass disappearance. Embry, Quil, and Jared are on laptops, trying to get satellite images of the vampire city. Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward are on the phone, trying to contact other vampires that Alice insists will make this easier. Alice presently is locked away in her her sewing room with Mischa, making something for the werewolves to wear that will withstand multiple furplosions. Seth, Leah, Paul, Nicoli, and Alexi go out for patrols while we work.

Within 24 hours, most of the groundwork has been laid for our trip and we do our best to maintain the illusion of everyday life. This isn't for us though, it's for those we encounter in our mundane lives. We can't afford to let anything out of the ordinary slip, especially if we are being watched. To complicate things, Embry imprints on a new student that bumped into him in the hall. Rainne Brock is her name. A half Irish, half Japanese firecracker that takes the news quite well when she's informed of our unique situation. She's a senior, like most of us. When she turned 18 on April Fools Day, she started looking for a way to get out of her foster parents house in Port Angeles. She up and left when she found a small apartment she could afford in Forks. Unfortunately for her, Alice immediately told us that she must accompany us to Italy as well.

The poor girl feels helpless most of the time, being the only quote/unquote "normal" human in the group. She also happens to be terrified of the witches. It's laughable because she has fewer issues with the werewolves and vampires, but the magic wielders scare her stupid. Everything changes when Rainne is chasing Embry around with a folded belt and loudly snaps it right behind Carlie, sending my sister into a screaming heap on the floor. Edward, Jake and I rush to her aid, but Rainne manages to touch her before we can warn her. Carlie slams a fist into the girls chest, sending her flying into the giant fish tank. Luckily it doesn't shatter. Rainne is frightened but tries to help anyway. "What's wrong with her?" she inquires as Jacob is lifting my sisters quivering form off of the carpet. "Let us get her calmed down first, then we'll talk," I answer, not realizing the bite in my voice until she flinches at my words. We weave our way through those that came running at Carlie's terrified wails. They are all furious, their eyes sparkling with anger as their focus moves from Carlie to Rainne and back again. "Don't be mad at her," I ask them as we march past, "She doesn't know what she did wrong." Embry gathers his imprint and leads her into the kitchen, away from the unrelenting glares of our protective family.

It takes almost an hour to soothe Carlie back into reality. That's longer than normal, but with the stress we've all been living under, I can't hold Rainne entirely responsible for the setback. I'm shocked when Carlie asks to be the one to explain what happened. We make her wait an hour more, allowing her trembling to fade to a barely perceptible level before going back downstairs. It's times like these that I'm ashamed of myself because I am unable to help her more. My vampire mind works so much faster than my younger siblings that I was able to heal sooner than she. To compound my guilt is the knowledge that she could have these problems for her entire existence.

We find Rainne in the kitchen with Embry, her posture resembling a woman preparing to be executed. When she sees Carlie, she begins apologizing profusely while keeping her distance. Carlie tells her to shut up and listen to what she has to say before things get blown out of proportion even further. Edward and I sit on either side of Rainne while Jake sits on the island counter top, his eyes never leaving his mates pacing figure as Carlie relays our nightmarish tale.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

I light the last menthol and throw the empty pack in the trash. "Any questions?" I ask the stupefied girl before me. She stares into space a few moments before bursting into tears. "Don't fucking cry for us," I snap, "I didn't tell you this shit so you'd pity us." She gets to her feet and I warily take a few steps back. This girl is so touchy-feely and I'm not ready for anyone to touch me right yet. "I'm so sorry Carlie, Bella," she sobs, "No one should ever have to live through something like that." I snort, "Technically only one of us lived in the end, Rainne. I just lost my mind, but Bella lost her human life, and we both lost our uncle. I'm going to tell you something right now, just so you are forewarned, okay?" She sniffles and bobs her head. I flick my ash and look her straight her ice blue orbs, "Those fucking fairy tales you read, where everything turns out sunshine and roses? They are absolute bullshit. We're not the dashing heroes and we don't always save the day. Hell, look how fucking damaged most of us are just from trying to make lives for ourselves. The closest thing any of us fucking monsters get to a happy ending is when we're still here after the latest attempt at someone trying to exterminate us. This isn't a game, people actually fucking die in this morbid tale. If you had a single functioning brain cell, you'd walk right out that fucking door right now and never look back Rainne. You're a good kid and I actually kind of like you. I'm going to hate seeing how warped this is going to make you, so think about this little pearl of wisdom before you choose; if you decide to stay, prepare to be as fucked up as the rest of us real soon."

I turn and take a drink of the coffee Jake poured during my rant, then look back at the scared girl, "Oh, and one more thing. Regardless of what I've just spewed at you, stop fucking feeling guilty because you're human. I used to freak out over the same shit and it got me nowhere fast. If you are determined to stay, I suggest you suck it up and grow a thick hide real soon. Any questions?" She nods and takes a deep breath before asking, "How do you deal with it?" A bitter laugh escapes me before I can choke it back, "Do you want the truth or do you want me to lie to you?" Rainne wrings her hands and glances to Embry, who nods sadly. "The truth, always, please. Don't spare my feelings just because you think I'm naive," she decides. I pull my hoodie and tee shirt off, then unbuckle my pants and let them drop, exposing all of my flaws in an instant, "I kill the pain with body piercings and tattoos, occasionally slice myself to ribbons with a straight razor to fend off psychotic episodes and every now and then I weakly attempt suicide. Aren't my attempts just the fashion statement?" I finish sarcastically. She launches out of her seat and is violently ill in the sink. I refuse to look a her as I redress and open a fresh pack of cigarettes. "Wow, I think that's the first time I've managed to make someone vomit with just my body," I hiss bitterly, "I love it when I can bring out the best in people, it makes me all warm and fuzzy on the inside."

"That's enough for now Nessie," Bella whispers, "I think she's beginning to understand." Jake comes over and puts his arms around me. "That was very brave Carlie, I'm proud of you. Love you," he murmurs as he holds me. I let my rigid posture melt away and mold myself to him, "Love you more," I whisper and raise my head, expectant. He doesn't disappoint either. Fervently claiming my lips with his own, we become temporarily oblivious to the world around us. I'm brought back by a hand timidly coming to rest on my forearm. Unwillingly, I break away from the little bit of peace I'll ever know. "What?" I snarl as I open my eyes. It's Rainne, looking like she's going to give up and run for the hills any minute. "I wanted to thank you for sharing you and your sisters story with me," she proclaims, "I don't think I will ever be able to imagine exactly what went on to make you as messed up as you are, no matter how many times you explain it, but at least now I know you are an uber bitch and Bella is so distant for a reason. I'm not going to run away though, this, Embry, it's my life now, and I'm going to do everything I can to help all of you in any way I can." I nod, "Good, then you can help Embry not run off and attempt this coup all by himself. We'll probably have the shit from your apartment moved here this weekend." Her eyes widen in surprise, "I can't do that! Besides, where am I going to sleep?" I snicker, "That's easy. The attic has been converted into more bedrooms. That decision was made the day Embry informed us of his imprinting. Welcome to the Wolves Den, now get the hell out of my face so I can make out with my fiance." She bobs her head and silently pads back over to Embry, who takes her hand and leads her upstairs to their room.

"You know sweetheart, you're pretty damn scary when you want to be," Jake muses between teasing kisses. I smile against his lips, "I have to be, I'm the Alpha's mate. I also have my reputation as a certifiable lunatic to live up to." I feel his tongue touch my lips, asking for entrance. I don't deny him. After all, we monsters take a slice of peace when and where we can find it.

**Sorry....No big battles just yet! *Dives for cover***

**REVIEWS ARE MY SLICES OF PEACE SO ****REIVEW**** OR DIE.**


	37. Part 37 Progress Through Epic Failure

**Nah, still don't own...maybe I should sic a pissed off Carlie and Bella on them....****lol**

**Cevelle****- The Red**

They say freak,  
When you're singled out,  
The red, well it filters through.

So lay down, the threat is real,  
When his sight goes red again.  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again.

This change, he won't contain,  
Slip away, to clear your mind.  
When asked, who made it show,  
The truth, he gives in to most.

So lay down, the threat is real,  
When his sight goes red again.

So lay down, the threat is real,  
When his sight goes red again.  
So lay down, the threat is real,  
When his sight goes red again.

Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red again,  
Seeing red....

They say freak.  
When you're singled out.  
The red, it filters through...

**Part 37**

**Progress Through Epic Failure**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

I knew she wouldn't run, and I'm actually glad she didn't. Poor Rainne. I let loose on her big time. Fucking flashes dancing around the back of my head when I was talking to her didn't help. When I was ambushed by everyone after Rainne had went to bed last night just brought back into focus what I'd done to her. Three hours of sitting on the couch with my head in my hands while being bitched at by ones entire family does that to a person. The fucked up thing is that no one was upset about my warning, they were pissed about how it had been delivered. Yeah. Who said that Edward was the only one allowed to overreact to things?

Yeah, epic fucking fail on my part.

Embry understood why I had fired at her with both barrels, but that didn't stop him from refusing to look or speak to me after my tirade. I tried to apologize to him, he'd just nodded absently and asked me to stay away from both of them for a little while. I could see the hurt and disappointment in his eyes and it stabbed me in the heart. It kills me that I hurt one of my own. I've already talked to Carlisle this morning about the possibility of going back on my meds, but he's not sure if it would help or hinder the progress I have made without it. That's code for 'I don't have a fucking clue Carlie, so I'm going to have to run a shitload of tests on you to find out for sure.' Wonderful. I get to play the lab rat game again. Oh well, if that's what I have to do to prove that I'm sorry about what I did, then I'll do it. Gggrrr. Sometimes I hate not being the bad guy. At least then I'd have an excuse for this shit.

"Earth to Carlie, your coffee is getting cold love," Jake chides, pulling me from my self-loathing. I crack my neck and take a drink," Sorry, dreaming up ways to castigate myself in such a manner that proves once and for all that I truly am sorry about what I did to Rainne." He puts his empty plate in the dishwasher and starts the machine, "Have you thought about a simple 'I'm sorry, I screwed up' sweetheart?" I smack myself on the forehead, "Now, why didn't I think of that first? I knew there was a reason I keep you around, other than the mind blowing sex, of course." He sticks his tongue out at me, "Quit being such a ginormous bitch with new people all the time and you'd be able to avoid things like this more often." I roll my eyes," Embry wants me to steer clear of them for a few days and that's the least I can do after that shit last night. Oh, and I have to get more blood drawn after school today. I want to know if I need to go back on my medication." He comes around the island and takes my hand in his as he kneels beside me. "Your meds? Do you feel it's getting that bad again?" he asks, concern, fear, and love emanating from his dark orbs. I shrug one shoulder, "Not really, but it wouldn't hurt to be be sure, would it?" He tugs on my hood and plants a quick kiss on my lips, "Whatever you wish hun. I'm really proud of you, reaching out for help instead of sinking back into yourself again. That's real progress Carlie." He lays his forehead against mine, "Love you." I can't help but smile, "Love you more."

My open admittance to Jake about investigating the possible reinstatement of my antipsychotics to my daily routine ends up giving me a bigger reprieve with my family than my profuse apologizing. Rainne even ventures over to talk to me while we hang out in the parking lot before school. "So, you're really messed up, aren't you? You weren't doing all of that just to scare me." she asks matter-of-factly. I take a drag off of my menthol and nod, "Yeah I am. Technically I have a bad case of PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and I have severe chronic depression. I also have really huge anger problems piled on top of abandonment issues. For a while there, Carlisle was beginning to worry that I was developing a personality disorder as well. I probably should have been institutionalized but they wouldn't have been able to help me without divulging the secret. That alone would have gotten me locked up for life, maybe longer." She leans against the Eclipse, "Does it ever get any easier? Keeping so many secrets, I mean." I shake my head, "No, you either grow strong enough to carry them or you get crushed under the weight. I'm not trying to scare you like last night, please believe me, but this really is a hard life. The ability to lie has to become second nature because it's not just your life on the line if you fuck up."

Rainne's quiet for a few minutes before shifting uncomfortably. I know she has more questions. "Spit it out Rainne," I finally say, "You're bouncing around like you have to take a piss or something." She picks at a string on the sleeve of too big flannel shirt that she's wearing, "Embry said to stay away from you when you're wearing that black hoodie. What does that mean?" I drop my smoke and grind it out, "It's a coping mechanism thing. When I'm wearing the hoodie, everyone knows that I'm having an off day and to give me my space but also to keep a close eye on me in case my idiocy takes over and I get it in my head to do something stupid. I also feel safe in it, most of the time. I don't like people looking at me on a good day, for a number of reasons, but on a bad day I could go apeshit and hurt someone for giving me a wrong look at the wrong time. It's happened before and no doubt will happen again." I can see the gears of her mind working as she absorbs all of this. Her visage becomes uncertain with the next question, "Is Bella like this too?" I shake my head, "Not to the extent that I am. Her mind works so much faster that it's able to handle everything better than mine."

The bell for class rings before she has a chance to ask any more questions. Our boys gather us up and escort us to class, something Rainne is still getting used to. She thought us girls were joking when we informed her that she would be escorted to every class from now one, whether it be one of us girls or one of the guys. None of us girls ever walked the halls alone, no matter how well we could take care of ourselves. I think the boys are just afraid one of us girls are going to go ballistic on someone without them to be around to enjoy it.

My day is ruined when I find out that the afternoon's classes have been cancelled in lieu of some stupid ass pep rally so I send a mass text informing everyone that I'm going to leave before the rally and anyone is welcome to join me. I even volunteer an afternoon of four-wheeling to sweeten the deal. By the time lunch rolls around and we gather at our tables, I have everyone's excuses forged and hand them out as they arrive. Rainne looks a little confused as I hand her the note. "What's this for?" I manage to keep a straight face, "We're ditching this afternoon and you need an excuse, don't you?" She inspects the piece of paper, "How did you do this? Aren't we going to attract attention by leaving together? And why are you suddenly being so nice to me?" I roll my eyes dramatically, "First off, I told you that I actually kind of like you and even if that wasn't true, you're Embry's girl and I love Embry. Second, no one really cares if we leave. You have to realize that a group as scary as we are, people actually feel relieved when we're somewhere else. Third, for those who are counting, I'll never reveal how those notes were made. Plausible deniability." Mischa laughs at that, "Don't let her bullshit you Rainne. Forging those things are so damn simple that we wouldn't use magic to do them at all if we didn't need to keep our asses out of the proverbial sling 24/7. And Carlie's not lying to you. People don't care why or how we're gone, just that we are and she really does like you or she wouldn't have tried so hard to scare you off last night, so stop freaking out."

Allen strolls up, his arm securely around Leah's waist, "I've got good news for my loving band of homicidal maniacs." Jake snorts, "If you tell us anything related to your sex life, I'm ripping off your nuts Allen, and if you tell me that you eloped, I'm going to have to kill you." Allen gives him the middle finger, "Up yours furball. No, I finally worked out the problems we were having shifting eye color. Leah's eye have been put through torture so I could perfect it, but now look at them." She steps forward, giving each of us investigate and sure enough, her ink black irises were now a soft, stunning, lavender. "Holy shit, that's so cool!" Seth exclaims. Bella chuckles, "Now it's my turn to play the guinea pig for phase two. We can start this afternoon, what do think Al?" Allen nods, "Yeah,anything you want Bells, just don't call me Al." Edward snickers, "Aw, what's wrong Al? Don't like people abbreviating your name? Payback's a bitch."

I look across the quad and catch an unusual sight, "Who's the blond chick with Quil?" Everyone catches a quickl glimpse before Seth answers, "That is Megan Marlow. She's a sophmore and has it bad for Quil. She's really sweet." Embry chuckles, "Yeah, if you like the type that blushes everytime you make eye contact and has a racist bastard as a father." Mischa half turns in her mates arms and growls, "Seth, is it that same motherfucker that cussed me out in the parking lot for my 'Goddess Bless' bumber sticker?" His face is solemn when he nods, "Yeah, that's him." Mischa smacks ehr hand off of the table, "I fucking hate racists! No good goat raping motherfuckers. I had enough of their shit in West Virginia when I lived there." I look at her, a little wide eyed, "Feel a bit strongly about the subject do we?" We're interrupted by Edward's laughter. "What's so fucking funny?" I ask increduously. "Big bad wicked witch Mischa is from West Virginia?! Now we know what's wrong with her!" he responds, doubled over in a fits of giggling.

Mischa looks to Allen, who shrugs noncommittally, "That's where my parents are from too Misch, so I always knew that's what was wrong with you." Bella chuckles, "Well, I guess that answers the enigma of whose parents live in Forks." Allen grins at her, his hazel eyes twinkling mischievously, "Are you sure about that?" Bella folds her arms to her chest and pouts, "Why do you keep doing that? It's not like any of us are going to have a problem with you either way." Allen shrugs, "Because you guys have overlooked the obvious." Bella cocks and eyebrow, "Oh? What's that?" Mischa makes a face, "Because they aren't either of our real parents. They were foster parents Bella. Why do you think they had no problem kicking us out? The money dipshit. As soon as the money stopped flowing to take care of us, they had been looking for a reason to get rid of us." Bella's pout immediately shifts to a mask of concern, "But you--her--a couple? Or cousins?" Allen and Mischa exchange a meaningful look and Allen rolls his eyes, but nods at her. Mischa sighs, "Not here. Too complicated. We'll talk at home. Just so you fuckers know, this wasn't a conversation we ever intended on having with any of you."

Conversation is deliberately steered in other directions as our family breaks off and makes their exits. We never leave all at once, if we can help it. we do attempt to maintain the illusion to be leaving for the reasons stated on the papers, even if it's only for the school's benefit. Rainne shocks the hell out of me by asking if her and Embry can catch a ride home with us since Quil isn't going back to the Den. Quil is still ditching, but told Jake in a text that he's taking Megan up to Port Angeles to wine and dine her a bit. I agree and keep my remarks to myself at Rainne's reactions to our racing home at incredible speed.

As we park the car, she pries her hands from Embry's arm. He is also doing his best to keep his face smooth. "Do all of you drive that that?" she asks. We nod simultaneously, fighting smirks. "You all might survive a crash at that speed, but I certain wouldn't." I light a cigarette and shake my head, "Nah, me, Allen, and Mischa would suffer every bit as horribly as you, we're simply used to having to keep pace with the others. Good thing we were all speed addicts beforehand though. Sorry Rainne, it's one more of those things you're going to have to learn to shoulder." As we walk in the house, I notice that we're the second ones home.

"Alice," I say in a bare whisper, "Is Quil going to bring his shiny new toy home with him?" I know she's here, her dainty blood red stilettos that she wore to school today are by the door. She ran home, no doubt. Rainne has a confused look on her face, "There is no way she could have heard that, vampire hearing or not." Just then, Jasper bounds in the back door, said evil pixie on his back. "No he's not. She's cute and all, but he doesn't want her knowing where the Den is just in case she turns out to be the stalker type." Rainne's jaw falls open and Jake nudges her, "What's the problem Rainne?" She starts and sputters a bit before choking out, "You can't tell me that you don't care that Quil is out there buttering a girl up so he can get laid!"

"Stop being such a baby Rainne," I chide, "every fucking teenager that's had sex has played that game. It's not like he is going to rape or drug her. In fact, he won't do a single thing she doesn't ask him to. Just because you and Embry are still at the teasing phase has no bearing on what the rest of us do." She glares at me, "And how do you know what we have and haven't done? I know he wouldn't tell you." I touch a finger to my temple, "Telepath, remember? I don't need to be a wolf to connect with Jake's mind and because Jake knows, I know." Her face turns a very pretty shade of pink, "Um, oh shit, um.." We laugh, "Besides the two other mind readers and Alice being psychic, everyone but the humans can hear what you two do up in your room. It's no big deal at this point. This family shares no secrets. Why do you think Allen and Mischa are finally spilling the last of theirs?"

The confused look is back, "But shouldn't everyone know already?" I shake my head, "No. They are very good at shielding their minds and we love them too much to try and dig through their heads without permission. You are a different matter. We are going to have to teach you how to shield because the four of us are constantly burning up energy to keep your mind shielded from everyone and everything. You actually have the potential to be a witch, we just have to figure out a way to trigger your awakening without traumatizing you too badly." Her eyes light up, "Would I be as powerful as you guys?" I shake my head sadly, "Sorry, but no. Almost everything you would do would require the aid of spell components. No lightning bolts or fireballs in your future kiddo, but I think coincidental magic might be right up your alley."

She follows me into the kitchen and I get drinks for everyone. "What's coincidental magic?" she finally inquires. I pull off my hoodie, adjust my tank top, and sit down, pretending not to notice her bold faced stare. Her eyes fall on the corset piercings on my forearms, they're laced with laced and lime green ribbons today. Jake picked the colors and re-laced them and the ones along my spine himself. "What are those? I've never seen anything like that." I run my fingers over them, "Corset piercings. Most people only get them on their back, which I also have, or their neck. A normal person can only have them a few months before their bodies start rejecting the metal and the hoops start shifting. One of the perks of being a witch is that I've been able to fix it so that these babies never shift and my body doesn't ever reject the metal."

I go for broke in an effort to prove that I can be trusted not to go off on her. I extend my arm so she can get a closer look. Timidly, she stretches her hand out and traces the ribbons with a finger. I do my best to ignore the instinct to yank my arm away and force the trembling to a minimum. I get back on topic to distract myself. "Coincidental magic is one of the easiest magicks to learn but the hardest to master," I continue with my little lesson," Imagine that you can't find your car keys in the morning and tell yourself what a coincidence it would be if they ended up being in your backpack. Now, you open said backpack and Bam! there are the missing keys. With me so far?" She offers a little smile and a nod. "Okay. That was an easy one. Something harder would be if you were in a hurry to get to school because you were late and try to force a coincidence like making all of the stop lights on your route to school turn green so you don't have to stop until you get there. There is a fine line that has to be balanced or that shit blows up in your face."

She doesn't answer for a long time, still quietly tracing the ribbons on my arms. "Too much info?" I ask. She shakes her head no, then looks up at me with an exasperated look on her face. "Why are you being so nice to me now after being such a psycho last night?" she damn near yells the question, "This shit is giving me whiplash!" I put my cigarette out and lean forward, "I fucked up last night and I'm sorry for that, but don't ever mistake me being mannerly with being nice. I am not a nice person Rainne. I ceased being a nice person a long time ago, go ask Lauren Mallory and the Skank Crew. You are Embry's imprint so that means you're family now too. I do my damnedest to protect my family but my psyche is still adjusting to having someone new in our little merry band of misfits so I can't help but be a little fucking bipolar with you. To tell you the truth, I don't figure Embry would be so happy with me being around you if Jake wasn't right here to keep a close eye on me." She gives me a look, "Why?" "Honestly? I don't do well with people. Trust issues. I have a tendency to freak out when I'm touched and yet I'm sitting here letting you play with my arms. I love Embry like a brother and it's been killing me that I upset him over what I said to you. I decided that something drastic was the only way to get him to realize how sorry I am, hence the touching. You are the first person to maintain any kind of contact with me other than our family since Bella and I were abducted last year. I'm feeling pretty damn smug about not flipping out over it."

Jake takes my other hand, "I think you've made your point sweetheart. Let's not tempt fate any more than we already have," he leans close to my ear, "I'm very proud of you for doing this. Love you." I smile and touch my head to his, "Love you more. Everyone here?" He laughs and pulls me to my feet, "Pulling up as we speak." I grab him and crush my lips to his passionately. Just as his hands touch my hips, I break away and dash into the lving room, leaving my werewolf to chase me. I hear him growl as I jump over the first couch and feel him grab me as we crash down onto the second, laughing like hyenas.

Jake is tickling me ruthlessly when the others enter the house. "Help me!" I squeal as he sticks his head under my shirt and begins blowing raspberries on my stomach. "I'll help!" Edward exclaims and dives over the back of the couch to grab my ankles and remove my boots. "You fucking fuctard! I'm going to turn you into a fucking vampire rabbit!" I scream as his cold fingers begin their torment on my feet. I try to get Jasper to help, but he turns traitor and finds the ticklish spots on my knees. After a few minutes and several threats of losing control of my bladder, they let me escape to the bathroom. I'm so glad that humans can't seem to find those spots like the vamps and wolves seem to. When I return to the living room, it is now full of people who are waiting to hear the tale of the Goth twins.

Bella and Alice are sprawled across the couch, their heads on Edward and Jake's laps. Jasper is on the floor, reclining against the arm of the couch. He opens his arms and offers a seat in his lap with a smile. I wink and sit down between his legs. He wraps his arms around my shoulders. "Heard what you did," he stage whispers, "I'm proud of you little sister," and kisses the top of my head. I relax against his cold chest, soothed by the quiet purr rumbling out of him. I can't help but note the look of surprise on Rainne's face when she notices the shift of seating partners. Jasper notices as well. "What?" he inquires, his southern drawl surfacing slightly, "I'm not allowed to sit with my little sister?" She blanches, "No, um, I thought you had difficulties with human blood?" He nods thoughtfully, "I still do from time to time, but I've gotten so desensitized to Nessie, Allen, and Mischa that their blood holds no interest for me now. You would be more in danger than her if the witches weren't blocking your scent from all of us right now." Everyone chuckles when she scoots herself closer to Embry, "Oh. Okay," she rasps, making us laugh harder.

Our bout of mirth at Rainne's expense dies down as Allen and Mischa sit on the coffee table that has been moved in front of the television. They look nervous and a little fearful until I feel Jasper release a wave a calm and confidence into the room. Allen mouths a thanks and Jasper responds with a shrug and a grin. He lays his chin on my shoulder as Allen begins.

"Okay, this whole thing is going to seem really fucked up and I won't be surprised if you are disgusted with us for a while after this. We just want everyone to know now because with this Volturi shit hanging over our heads, we don't know if we'll get another chance," he states after lighting a smoke, "Please just keep in mind that we had no idea in the beginning."He takes a drag off of his cigarette and sits quiet for a few minutes. Mischa takes his hand and squeezes as she gives him a questioning look. He bobs his head and keeps his eyes to the floor as he begins.

"Mischa and I used to be a couple, yes that's true, but we haven't been for a long time. Not since we found out that we're brother and sister."

**Oh shit.**

Definitely did not see that one coming.

He then explains to us that both of them came from military families and that Allen was concieved when his mother and Mischa's dad had a one night stand. Evidently, her husband was overseas and Mischa's dad was at their base for training. They met at a bar and after a few too many drinks, drown their loneliness in each other. One night and one mistake. She had snuck out after he went to sleep and never saw her again during his stay. A few days later, her husband came home and no one was the wiser.

Mischa's mother conceived her within weeks of the tryst. When Allen's dad was transferred to the same base as Mischa and her family many years later, fate had a sense of humor and the two became a couple within days of meeting at school. They were 15 and in love. A tragic accident changed all of that. Allen's mother was driving the young couple to a nearby shopping mall and they were hit by a tractor trailer that jack-knifed on the highway, killing his mother instantly and left the couple pinned in the backseat for three hours. When they were finally cut out of the wreckage, they'd been taken to the hospital via ambulance and a whole array of testing was done and the forgotten affair was brought back to the forefront.

Allen and Mischa were still in the hospital when they recieved news of the murder-suicide of their parents. Mischa's mother had used her husband's hunting rifle to shoot and kill both men, who had been in her living room arguing, before killing herself with a revolver. Allen was whisked away back to Seattle by his dad's family and Mischa was forced into the system. Within a month's time, Allen's wealthy grandparents terminated any rights when they discovered that Allen was not, biologically, their sons child, and Allen became another statistic.

When a foster family who supposedly specialized in dealing with grief-stricken kids offered to take Allen, the state didn't think twice about it. Allen soon found out that they were more concerned about the monthly check that they received for him that his welfare and he began to plot. He managed to reconnect with Mischa over the Internet and told her of his plan to get his foster family to agree to take her in. Luckily, it worked and by the time both of them were sixteen (Allen on Halloween and Mischa in mid November), they were both semi-comfortably living in Forks Washington.

Allen and Mischa admit to having a few intimate encounters, even after knowing their lineage, but broke it off when Allen began dating a guy from Seattle the summer before Bella and I moved here. Things changed for them after that, but they are still very dear to one another.

"So, there you have it," Allen says, then empties his bottle of Pepsi in a single gulp. Mischa's eyes scan the room warily, taking in our reactions. "Let me guess, now is where the jokes about West Virginians and incest come into play?" she spits, unshed tears making her hazel green robs shimmer. "First fucking person to do that I'm going to break their jaw," I snarl, "then I just might gut them Misch." Jasper gives me quick squeeze and drops his arms so I can embrace my adopted sister and brother, "I love you no matter what, and I will never think ill of you because of this," I vow as I hold them tight.

"Wait a second," Seth interjects, "Allen dated a guy? I thought you were in love with Leah?" Allen chuckles as the girl in question wraps her arms around his shoulders and gives him a quick kiss. "Um, dude, Allen's bi," I explain, "I thought everyone knew. Why do you think Leah is smiling so big when they get back from one of their weekend getaways? She's spent the whole time getting it from two cocks instead of just one." Leah smacks my arm, "You're just jealous Nessie." I shake my head, "Nah, one guy is bad enough, but dragging off one of you girls from time to time is awfully fun though. Um Mischa, Seth looks like he's either going to cream is jeans or faint again."

Edward starts laughing, "You think that's funny, look at Emmett, he hasn't moved and I think smoke is starting to come out of his ears. His poor brain is working so hard to figure it out." We all turn to look and sure enough, Emmett's mouth is hanging open and he has a finger pointed at Allen. "What's wrong Emmett? Looking to sign up?" Allen taunts. Suddenly Emmett springs to his feet, "Dude! What? When? You bat for both teams? When did that happen?" Allen shrugs, "I've always been like this, didn't think it was a big deal." Emmett's face takes on an even further perplexed expression, "You're not going to start dressing in drag and build an alter to Cher or anything are you?" Allen shakes his head, "I don't have the body for drag and I can't stand Cher." Emmett scratches his head and huffs, "You're my best friend and you never thought to tell me you have a thing for the salami? Not that I have a problem with it man, but still!"

Allen drags Emmett to talk in private and after Mischa gets a round of hugs from us, we venture outside to have some fun. Allen and Mischa's reasoning for their confession aren't lost on us. We know we are running out of time for things like just being together and enjoying ourselves. Later on we'll practice, but for now, we're just a bunch of crazy teenagers who happen to be part of the best family anyone could ask for.

***wipes forehead and grabs a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat* Phew! Confessions take a lot out of you, you know?**

**We're getting closer to the attack on the ****Volturi****...just trying to work it out in my head**

**Something that helps is lots of reviews so....**

**REVIEW OR DIE!**


	38. Part 38 Graduation Jitters

**And again.....I own nothing!**

**OMFG****!!!!!!!!! WIDE AWAKE FINALLY GOT UPDATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *DOES HAPPY COOKIE DANCE***

**Green Day- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)**

Another turning point A fork stuck in the road Time grabs you by the wrist Directs you where to go So make the best of this test And don't ask why It's not a question But a lesson learned in time It's something unpredictable But in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life

So take the photographs And still frames in your mind Hang it on a shelf in Good health and good time Tattoos of memories And dead skin on trial For what it's worth It was worth all the while It's something unpredictable But in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life

It's something unpredictable But in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life

It's something unpredictable But in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life

**Part 38**

**Graduation Jitters**

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

"What do you mean we're having a graduation party?" I nearly yell, "Have you finally gone insane over missing one too many shopping trips? Great, the Graduation Nazi has arrived to torture us all to death." Alice gives me an evil smirk, "You can call me all the names you want Isabella Swan, but we're having this party because everyone in this family needs one last hurrah before we go overthrow an empire that's been in existence for a few millennia." She takes my hands in her own and a desperate, pleading look takes over her pale features, "We may never have another chance to be together, just having fun like the whacky teenagers that most of us are Bella. Are you really going to give me a hard time and deny your family this one last, all out, balls to the walls, party of epic proportions just because you are adverse to a little bit of attention?"

I groan, "Alice--" Carlie cuts me off, "Bella if I can agree to be a part of this three ring circus Ali is putting together, I'm sure as hell not letting you get out of it. Geez, I thought I was supposed to be the self-centered one." I try to argue, "But Car--" I'm interrupted by Alice this time, "No buts out of you, bitchy Bella. You know how much I love you, but Carlie's right this time. If she can subject herself to this party for the sake of the people she loves, you should have no problem with it. I don't know if you realized this dear, but even though Edward's world revolves around you, the rest of us have much more interesting things to do than listen to you whine and moan about how much you hate getting attention or receiving gifts. You aren't going to guilt trip us out of this like you do your mate. Besides, the invitations have already been sent."

I hear Carlie light a cigarette and turn to glare at her. She has a smug look on her face. "What are you so thrilled about?" I hiss. She rolls her eyes, "Bella, this party isn't 100% about a bunch of drunk high school kids spiking the punch with rum and dry humping each other all night. You're a smart girl, we thought you would have figured that out by now." I cross my arms and lean against the door frame, "Pray tell, sister mine." She snickers, "Bells, think about how much it would confuse another vampire if they crashed into Cullen mansion and was assaulted by the scent trails of the entire junior and senior class of Forks High school mixed in with yours, ours, and the wolves? How many false trails would they follow that were made by party goers looking for a secluded spot to go make out? You know, for such a genius, you are being a real fuctard about this."

Emmett sticks his head in the door, "Um, the second level of the deck is finished Ali. The wolves want to take a break before we start on the third. Edward is a little worried that we might have to move the last level farther back from the riverbank than we had originally thought because the ground isn't holding like it should and we don't have time to shore it up properly." She beams at her brother, "Thanks Em! We'll be out with lunch in just a few minutes." He gives a two-finger salute and disappears back outside. Alice stacks four large bowls of snacks and moves towards the door, "We'll talk about this more later Bells. Lets go feed the boys!" I turn to Carlie after our hyperactive pixie bounces out, "Whose idea was it to have this party in the first place? Besides Alice?" Carlie picks up a tray of sandwiches, "Leah, Allen, and Jasper's. It gives us another tactical advantage in case Ali's vision about our timeline is obscured." I lift another tray heaped with grilled chicken, bratwurst, and hamburgers, "I still think it's a bad idea," I mumble and follow her out onto the partially constructed multi-level deck behind the Cullen house.

I have to admit that I am thoroughly impressed by the mornings work. The guys had been working on the first level of the deck during the past week, after school and before training. They had completely removed the old patio and replaced it with a much larger version, this time built out of a material that is supposed to be much more durable than wood. They had also built a roof over this level, giving the option of entertaining outside despite inclement weather. The second level is beautiful, boasting three eight foot high water fountains nestled in between sloped flowerbeds. I place the large tray on one of the buffet tables that has been pushed up against the house. I slide my sunglasses down over my eyes out of habit and marvel at the sight before me, a result of the rare sunny day.

All of the men had removed their shirts while working and now the backyard is full of a mixture of russet and ivory skinned bodies that would make any girl swoon. Oddly enough, the fact that vampire skin sparkles like thousands of multi-faceted diamonds does not deter from their beauty whatsoever, it actually enhances it. My gaze falls upon the most beautiful of them all. My Adonis. He is standing beside his father, looking over Esme's blueprints for the deck, his faded blue jeans hanging low on his hips and his muscles rippling as he chuckles at something my vampire hearing missed. Too bad it's such a pain trying to figure out which Edward I'm going to be subjected to and I'm not in the mood for Assward today. He turns slightly to light his cigarette then runs his free hand through his sun-kissed bronze locks. He notices me staring and pulls down his sunglasses to offer me a wink and my favorite smile. I don't think I will ever get used to his eyes being his natural emerald instead of the tell tale honey that betrays our vegetarian lifestyle. He knows what he does to me and proves it by lifting his fingers in a V and flicking his tongue between them. I feel a hitch in by breathing and my panties dampen. I see his smug smirk make an appearance on his perfect face. Yay, Assward Cullen has come out to play. "Arrogant jerk," I mutter and make my way back to the kitchen to retrieve more food as his laughter floats through the air.

I levitate the remaining bowls of food out before me, careful not to collide with anyone. I feel Edward's arms snake around my waist just as the last bowl makes contact with the table, "I thought being an arrogant jerk was part of my irresistible charm," he taunts in a low voice while pressing his hardness against my back, "Let's go to our room and I'll let you ride me till you're screaming my name so loud they could hear you from Carlie's." I decide to be indifferent to his obvious arousal and twist myself out of his grasp with a shrug. "It was somewhat charming, initially, but the whole self-centered asshole thing gets a little old when there are so many other, nicer, boys vying for my attention Cullen," I answer in an offhand tone, "And I bet those other boys would have no problem treating me respectfully. " He grabs my hips and spins me around so that I'm facing him. I notice his sunglasses are gone. "Call me that one more time and I'm going to drag you upstairs and respect the hell out of you," he warns in a menacing snarl, his hands palming my rear. Oh my god, his eyes are even more hypnotic now and he knows it. Get a grip Bella. I cock an eyebrow and glare at him. "Oh, and what are you going to do about it Cullen? Give me and Carlie another Volvo to destroy so you'll be reminded of how big of a jackass you can be?" I challenge. "Bring it Cullen. I'd love the opportunity to smash something to bits right now." I hear a rumbling growl erupt in his chest, "Ooh, kitten's showing her claws today. Normally that's adorable, but today it's just makes me want to book you an appearance on the Jerry Springer show. What's got your thong in a twist?" I break away from his grip yet again and slink away, "I'm not in the mood to deal with one more prick calling me names today Cullen. I've already been assaulted by our sisters because I don't think this graduation party is a good idea. Come see me when Assward is locked up nice and tight."

I make it to one of the huge trees shading part of the yard. I draw back my fist to take my frustrations out on the innocent conifer when he grabs my hand. "Bella, I don't know what I did to piss you off, but I'm sorry," Edward proclaims. I gaze into his eyes until I'm sure Assward isn't going to return before I let out an exasperated sigh, "It's not just you Edward. I'm tired of being yelled at because I think the party is a bad idea. I'm scared Carlie will have an episode because she's forcing herself to be around the guests. Not to mention, how will we be able to protect all of them if the Volturi suddenly show up and want to wipe out half the teenagers in Forks because they happen to be at a party being thrown at the Cullen estate? What if they decide that the party is a perfect time to send in a spy and all of our plans get ruined and we end up executed? Oh, and what do we do if someone cuts themselves and I try to eat them or one of the wolves gets too excited and furplodes in front of everyone?" He pulls me to his chest as a sudden burst of sobs choke of my ability to speak coherently. He lovingly rubs the hand I don't have a death grip on up and down my back, whispering soothing words and 'I love you's' until I calm enough to relax against him.

"I'm so scared for our family Edward," I rasp out in a hoarse voice, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to them that I could have prevented." He uses our joined hands to lift my face, "I'm scared shitless, to be honest. Those fears you have? I have them, Jake has them, Mischa has them. Everyone does. But you can't forget how subjective Alice's visions are love. Following her prophecies is like having a guideline to go off of angel. We have some wiggle room and are trying to make the best of the time we have left. I'm not saying to forget them, I'm telling you to enjoy this as much as you can while you can."

I don't answer and after a while, he starts leading us in a slow dance. I go along with it, mirroring his steps in an antiqudated waltz under the watchful gaze of the ancient tree. When the dance is finished, he gently arches me back and reverently presses his lips to the flesh over my still heart once before rising to my lips and kissing me tenderly. When we straighten ourselves, he pulls me close once more, purring contently. "You don't think we're going to make it, do you?" I suddenly blurt out, surprising myself and him simultaneously. He tenses for a moment before forcing his body to relax and plant a kiss on my forehead. "I try very hard not to think that," he qualifies after a long minute, "But I also cannot escape the gravity of the situation." He leans back so he can see my face, "I swear I will do everything in my power to keep you and our family safe Isabella. I still have every intention of rubbing it in every motherfuckers face that you're mine and mine alone when I marry you."

"I love you Edward," I whisper in response. He kisses me softly, "You are my life. Whatever shadow of a man I claimed to be as I tread upon this lonely earth before your light saved me has fallen, forgotten by the wayside. Though I can read minds, I cannot pretend to know what may come to pass nor dream of the wonders tomorrow holds in store, therefore every night, when the sun goes down, I thank what gods there may be that I was able to spend one more day with you and every dawn I again thank them because you chose to be my guiding light in the darkness, staving off the hollow oblivion of my former existence once more."

"Hey you two! Get your asses over here, we still have work to do!" Allen's voice breaks through our little bubble. "Go fuck yourself Danford!" Edward retaliates. Mood broken, enter cocky Edward, stage right. "I have to go rough up the fruitcake angel," he grins and smacks me hard on the rump before jogging off at human speed.

I follow at a walk, only catching up after Edward has tackled Allen and is carrying him down to the river in a fireman's carry. Allen doesn't go quietly. When Edward heaves Allen up over his head, Allen grabs Edward's hair and they both go tumbling into the cool water. I hear laughter from above me and notice my sister perched on one of the larger branches, sketchbook in hand. I'm glad to see that she isn't wearing her black hoodie, instead opting for a black cotton cami that says 'I *heart* Zombies' across the chest in bold red lettering. "What are you working on?" I ask, climbing the tree to join her. She adjusts her stoner sunglasses, "Just trying to capture the day really. I can't help with the construction and Esme is manning the buffet with Rainne so I thought I'd relax for a bit and draw." I know better than to ask to see her sketches before they are finished, so I simply relax against the trunk and observe my sister while she enjoys herself.

During our little siesta, Alice finds us and joins in the relaxation. Her raven tresses once again are highlighted with hot pink streaks. "Are we pretending to be squirrels now?" she inquires playfully. "I sure as hell hope not because squirrels are out to take over the world and the world is too much fucking trouble to run," Mischa retorts as she climbs over me to rest on a branch above us. I see Rosalie, Leah, Esme and even little Rainne also making their way up. "Did your monkey man teach you those moves Rose?" Leah quips after seeing the blond vampire perform a front flip to land on the branch opposite Mischa. Esme sets Rainne next to her and wraps and arm around her to keep her from falling. "This is nice," my adopted mother comments appreciatively, "Good vantage point to sit back, relax, and watch the men work. Bravo Carlie." Carlie grins at her, "Thanks Mom."

The fact that the boys now have a rapt audience isn't lost on them. They double their efforts to look appealing and knowledgeable of the tasks at hand. It's almost laughable, their exaggerated attempts to garner attention. "Aw, how boys are doing tricks to get our attention girls," Esme muses aloud, inciting a round of vicarious laughter. "Well, it isn't every day that you get nearly a dozen males of various mythical species to do renovations in your backyard, " Rainne adds, blushing furiously as her mate lifts a batch of planks onto his shoulder, making his muscles ripple nicely. "Great, Rainne has finally claimed Bella's place as resident blusher," Alice teases, pinching one of the girls pink cheeks. I chuckle as Rainne responds by turning an even deeper shade of pink. Carlie nudges my shoulder, "You have a better line of sight to the coolers, get us food eaters a drink, would you?" I draw my will and urge the drinks up out of the coolers and over to us. Rainne stares wide eyed at the soad can floating in front of her until Esme reaches out and grasps the can. "Don't worry dear," Esme coos as she opens the can and hands it to Rainne, "You will get used to these things soon enough." Rainne nods dumbly and takes a long pull from the can.

As the afternoon wears on, appreciative glances give way to whistles and catcalls echoing out from our little roost. The guys revel in it, their responding antics growing progressively more ridiculous with every attempt. Eventually, on Esme's urging, we drop out of the tree together and saunter towards our men, who immediately get a lustful sparkle in their eyes. They form a loose line in the yard, expectant. We slip between them, our only contact a hand on their shoulder as we move by. Esme makes Carlisle's jaw drop when she diverts her attention to Quil, the lone wolf of the pack. She is so bold to kiss his cheek before walking on. We come to a halt on the riverbank and pull our tops and pants off, jumping into the water in naught but our bra and panties while the boys are still dumbstruck. Luckily, it doesn't take too long for them to catch on. When they do, they undress in a flurry of clothing and splashing as they rush to get to their mates.

I feel Edward's eye boring into me as he enters the water. His smile is no longer laid back, it now resembles the look a stalking lion gets when it focuses on it's oblivious prey. "Bella, Bella, my Bella," he chants in a hypnotic voice as he cuts through the water, his eyes never deviating from my retreating form. Under his gaze, I truly begin to feel like his prey. I feel my breathing accelerate and my muscles tense, preparing for the inevitable onslaught. For all my abilities, my newborn strength is on the wane and I know instinctively that I am no match for his natural speed. It doesn't stop me from attempting a futile escape. I dive under the surface and try to swim under him, but he is faster, clamping down on my ankle as I swim by. He pulls my body flush with his and plants a passionate kiss on me. As we surface, I feel his free hand slip inside the waist of my panties and I feel two fingers find my entrance. "Mine," he growls against my lips, "Say it. Out loud. I want to hear it." I wrap my arms around his neck and legs around his middle as the speed of his ministrations increase," Yours. All yours," I gasp against him, losing myself in the feeling of his fingers sliding in and out of me. He pulls his lips from mine and they travel down my face and to my throat. I feel the tightening in my stomach and as soon as I feel his teeth bite into my flesh, I fall over the edge. I clamp down on his shoulder to quiet the moans coming out of my mouth. "Let's go to our room," he mumbles against my neck. "Please," I whimper and he begins moving us to the shoreline. Right now I don't care that we're going ot have a stupid graduation party or that we'll most likely be really dead by the end of summer, all that matters right now is his hands and lips on my skin, leaving trails of icy fire wherever they touch. We reach the water's edge and stop long enough to gather our clothes before racing to our room at full speed.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

We all watch Edward and Bella run off with knowing chuckles. "Wow Em, it seems like Eddie and Bells took a page from you and Rose's book," Allen jests as Leah winds her arms around his shoulders, allowing her body to float out behind him as he moves. Emmett's booming laugh echoes through the valley, "Hell, at least they learned from the best!" Jake rolls his eyes and kisses the tip of my nose, "Yeah, because Em likes to pretend that he didn't learn everything he knows by watching bad porn." I laugh and lets my arms drop from around his neck and hold tight with my legs as the current keeps my torso afloat. I'm very proud of myself at the moment. I was able to strip down practically naked, exposing all of my scars to my family, before diving into the water. I had only hesitated slightly when it came to shedding my clothing, entering the water mere seconds after the other girls.

That thought sticks with me as the sun sets and we finally exit the water and dress to prepare dinner for the famished crew. The vampires leave to go hunting with promises to be home before dawn. The seniors last day of school is the coming Wednesday and they are all leaving for an extended trip that night, not coming home until Saturday, the day of the party. The humans will all be staying at my house, as usual, but the wolves will be on high alert for the duration of the vampires absence. None of us will be going near the Cullen house after the party wraps up, unless the situation is dire, in a last ditch affort to preserve the human odors that will permeate the space.

The next few days fly by in a blur. Between the party, graduation itself, training, and school, the is literally no time to think about something twice, let alone second guess it. Nerves are frayed and we are all getting a little snarky with each other. The breaking point comes on Tuesday night when we all are sitting in the parking lot of a random fast food place and Rainne comes out from the restroom and runs into Embry's arms, sobbing her heart out. "What happened? Are you hurt?" Embry asks, his voice thick with worry. "J-Jessica," is all she manages to choke out before we spot the culprit. Six angry women are instantly circling Jessica, who looks like she's going to piss her pants. "What the fuck did you say to our little sister?" Rosalie snarls menacingly at the frizzy-haired bitch. Jessica's face pales under the ten tons of make-up spakled to her skin. "Nothing! She's lying!" she insists, putting her hands up in surrender. "Bullshit," Mischa spits, "You obviously don't have someone's dick bouncing off of your tonsils right now so no doubt you took a breath to say something stupid. Spill it bitch before we decide not to wait on determining the extent of your punishment for fucking with our sister and just dole out the maximum penalty."

Edward winks at me and I open my mind to him. *_Jessica was in the restroom with her little band of wannabes and they saw Rainne go in. While she was taking a piss, Jessica starting insinuating that Rainne was the new installment to our litle 'band of whores' that we have in our gang. Jessica went as far as to ask Rainne if she knew that the only way to become a full member was to let us guys gang rape her and made a comment on how stretched out her pussy must be after being the new toy for us to play with. When Rainne called her a liar, Jessica then asked her why did she, Jessica, just have to turn down a threesome with Embry and Quil earlier that day. Jessica had thrown herself at them before lunch and Rainne had seen it._* I repeat, verbatum, every word for my sisters.

There is a resounding crack and I see Alice standing defiantly in front of Jessica, a red mark already beginning to make itself known on her cheek. "I should tear your scrawny little arms off for hurting my baby sister," Alice growls, her voice dripping with venom. I hear water dripping and the overpowering smell of urine attacks my nostrils."Oh my god!" Leah exclaims in a fit of laughter, "The bitch just pissed herself!" Jessica suddenly determines to fight back and moves to smack Alice back. Rosalie catches her hand and uses it to hit Jessica in the nose, creating a satisfying crunch as it makes contact. She cries out on Leah knees her in the stomach and as she's doubling over in reaction to the pain, Mischa kicks her in the chin, reversing her momentum and forcing her to fall on to her back on the wet blacktop. Bella reaches down and grabs a handful of hair, yanking her back to her feet. Her hands come up and claw at my sisters hand, but the exercise is futile. I double up my fist and plow my fist into her abdomen, effectively knocking the wind out of her. Bella relinquishes her hold on Jessica's hair, a satisfied smirk on her face. "I'd stick with sucking cock from now on, if I were you, Jessica," I advise, "Talking just gets you in trouble." We turn and start walking away before Rosalie stops and pivots on her stilettos to face the bitch once more, "Oh, and stay the hell away from my little sisters or next time I will happily claw your eyes out." With that, she flips her blond hair in a dismissive gesture and links her arms through Leah and Mischa's. "Damn! that felt good!" Mischa laughs as we reunite with the boys. Seth kisses her soundly, "Good job baby, but somebody called the cops and we have to jet like five minutes ago!" We hurriedly get on our bikes and take off, laughing heartily when we see the flashing lights of the patrol car emerge distantly from the opposite direction of the restaurant.

Wednesday morning, I'm curled up on the sofa in my room, finishing up my sketch of the boys lined up on the riverbank when Jake scoops me into his arms and gives me a kiss that makes my toes curl. "Love you," he murmurs when the need to breathe forces us apart. "Love you more," I reply, then notice the time, "You're here early, excited about your last day of school?" He bobs his head excitedly, "Yeah, because after today, the Den will be my permanent address until we move somewhere else!" "What?!" I gasp, disbelieving. His grins grows impossibly large, "Dad said he wanted to talk to me about something important when he called yesterday remember?" I nod and wave a hand for him to continue. "Well, he told me that he is moving in with Sue and Harry here soon because Harry isn't doing so well after that first heart attack and Sue is having trouble finding people to look after him when she has to work. He's going to keep the house, just in case me or one of my sisters want it sometime down the road, but for now, he's going to rent it out for a little extra money. He told me that he wouldn't mind us moving in together on a more permanent basis now that we're done with school and stuff."

"Really? No shit? I get to keep you forever?" I ask, daring to get my hopes up. He nods slowly, " I promise. No more saying goodbye at night and having to sleep alone." I jump up and wrap my legs around his waist while seeking his lips. They easily find their mark and he eagerly deepens the kiss, his elation prominent in his movements. The trivial need for oxygen separates us again and he gingerly sets me back on the floor, then goes to my closet and begins searching for something. "Where is that gorgeous dress you got at that shop in Seattle when we thought we were still going to prom?" he asks, poking his head out of the door. I flick the ash from my cigarette," The green oriental style one?" He nods emphatically," Yeah, that's the one." "Why?" He smirks, "It's the last day of school and I want to show those jerks what they're missing out on one last time." I groan, "If I freak out, it's your fault, and I'm wearing my gyspy shawl over top or no deal." His smiles doesn't falter one bit, "Fine, now get moving."

I pull the dress out and the lingerie to go under it, then dig out the Giuseppe Zanotti whoever's buckled high heeled sandals that Alice had bought me to go with the damn thing. After pouring myself into the silken torture device, I use enameled chop sticks to pull my hair up in a messy bun, using hairspray to force my wild mane into submission. I take out my gauged double helix's and slide in my gold dragon hoops, specially made to fit my gauged ears, Christmas gifts from Emmett and Rose last year. I think they were part of the reason Alice had insisted that I buy this dress when we went shopping for prom gowns. Lastly, after putting on my usual eyeliner, I put on the sleeves that match the dress to cover my corset piercings and toss on my black lace gypsy shawl. I look at myself in the mirror and sigh. The stupid ass things you do for love, I muse before grabbing my backpack and heading downstairs.

I ignore the eyes on me when I enter the kitchen to get my morning cup of java. "Something special going on that I don't know about?" Edward taunts as he ghosts through the glass doors and leans against the counter in front of me. I shrug and steal the cigarette he just lit, "Thanks for lighting it for me. Anyways, Jake wants to give the good ole' boys of Forks High one more 'Fuck you, she's mine' before we're done for good and I figured what the hell, might as well go out with a bang." Then I see Bella walk in, wearing a sapphire blue silk spaghetti-strapped handkerchief dress that skims the tops of her matching ribbon lace up sandals. Her hair is pinned up haphazardly, framing her face in natural finger curls. Edward kissed her hand and winks at me, "I guess great minds think alike Nessie." Jake comes in and claps Edward on the shoulder, "We're riding together today man, if that's alright with you. The transmission is screwing up on the Challenger and I don't fell like messing with Carlie's car too much until we can figure out what that shimmy is in the front end." Edward nods absently, "Sure, just don't make a fucking habit of mooching rides in my baby." Jake rolls his eyes, "Okay Fuckward." He lays a chaste kiss on my cheek, "You are absolutely breathtaking. Breakfast?" I answer by snatching a croissant from his plate and taking a bite out of it. He puts a few more on another plate and hands it to me as I follow Edward into the sunroom on account it it pouring down outside.

Edward isn't his usual self this morning, but I don't ask about it. I know it can't be nerves, as many times as the Cullen's have matriculated, unless it's about Bella. This is her first time graduating from high school. Hell, we have a whole pack of werewolves graduating, including Seth largely because he worked his ass of to complete the courses necessary to graduate early, four witches, three vampires, and a lone normal human girl who happens to be a black belt in Kung Fu graduating. Okay, he has a right to be out of sorts today with it being the last day of school. Man, if he's this bad today, what's he going to be like when we all have to walk across the stage to get our diplomas? By the time Bella and Jake come in to enjoy the last peaceful minutes of the morning, I'm a nervous wreck just from sitting beside him for an hour.

The time comes to leave and we pile into Edward's car. It begins as a normal drive to school, fighting over music and volume and just chattering pleasantly. things change when Edward gets on the highway and begins heading north. "What are you doing?" Bella asks from her spot in the front seat. Edward offers his crooked grin, "Jake and I decided to give you two a reprieve and take you to Seattle for the day in lieu of being harassed by the male student population one last time." "What about everyone else?" I challenge. Jake pulls me close, "Don't worry honey, it's just the four of us. No Alice induced shopping seizures for you today." I sigh in relief and melt against him, "At least that's one thing we don't have to worry about Bell's." She nods thoughtfully, her eyes never leaving Edward's face. She thinks that the boys are up to something and I agree with her. We take turn trying to glean the information from their minds, but they've taken precautions. I hate having images of Emmett and Rosalie doing that nasty thrown at me so I give up quickly.

The normal 3 1/2 hour drive to Seattle takes just over two hours. Edward weaves through traffic until Jake whistles at something. Shortly after, Edward finds an all day parking garage and we set out on foot towards whatever they have in store for us. Fortunately, we dont have to wait long.

After a short walk, the boys stop us in front of the building that Jacob whistled at. Now they look nervous, shuffling their feet and running their hands through their hair. Bella's impatience gets the best of her for once. "Whatever you two are planning, just spit it out or I'm going back to the car to wait while you get yourselves together." Still neither speak. After a few minutes, Bella takes my hand, "Fine, we will see you two when you get your heads out of your asses," she spits before pulling me back down the sidewalk beside her. This forces them to react by grabbing us by our free hands. "Okay, okay," Edward says, "That building is the county courthouse and we have to be up there in 15 minutes." Bella gives him a confused look, "And why is that?" His eyes lock to hers, "Because in 15 minutes you and I are getting married and right after that we're going to witness Carlie and Jacob be married as well."

"What?!" I nearly shriek. Jacob pulls me close to him, "I want to marry you Carlie Elizabeth, you know that, and if this Volturi shit wasn't hanging over us, I would want us to wait and have the wedding of our dreams. Sadly, we don't know if that will ever be an option and if something should happen to either of us when this goes down, I want both of us to be safe in the knowledge that my wife knows how much I love her and that I will love her forever. I'll even make you a deal. We make it through this, we will have another, bigger wedding that all of our friends and family can attend and celebrate with us. What do you say?" My mind reels for a moment before grasping a flaw in their plans, "Jake, you need your dad to sign the papers!" He gives me my favorite smile, "Not when I have legal documentation stating that I am 18 years of age sweetheart." "What about the marriage license?" Bella interjects. Edward pulls two envelopes from his back pocket, "You mean these?" She tries one more time, "Witnesses?" Edward chuckles at her weak attempt, "We are going to witness for each other. I think it works out pretty well, don't you angel?" The boys watch us closely until we look to one another, then back to them, and nod once. They grin at each other, then grab our hands and rush us into the building.

The magistrate conducting the ceremony is amused to discover that Bella and I are twin sisters who decided to share their wedding day with one another. He even offers to perform both ceremonies at once to intertwine us even more. We agree simply because it saves time. The words are generic, only we swap out 'until death do us part' with 'for as long as we both shall live'. We share a laugh over the irony, causing the judge to look at us with more humor than before. I can't honestly remember what words we exchanged, but I can't forget the feeling of triumph as we slid the rings onto one another and thinking to myself 'He is mine forever and I am his. No one can take him from me now.'

Thursday morning I wake up sweating profusely and it takes a minute to register the giant Indian with his arms around me. 'My husband!' my mind cries out victoriously as the previous days events resurface. I wiggle enough so that I am able to roll on my side and gaze upon the sleeping form of my husband. His face looks so peaceful, untroubled by the fears that fueled his need to elope with me. His lips, the color of rum raisin, are drawn into an enigmatic smile. I wonder if he's dreaming about me? Or is he reliving our entire night of consummating our marriage? Just the thought makes my thighs wet, despite the tenderness between my legs. I wonder if Bella and Edward enjoyed themselves as much as we did. After the ceremony, Edward had tossed us the keys to his car and informed us that he and Bella were going to run the way and meet up with the rest of the family later for their hunting trip. Jake and I had pulled off the road twice on the return trip, unable to keep our hands to ourselves. It got no better once we got home. He'd carried me to our room and destroyed my dress before ravishing me. We'd only left the room once since yesterday afternoon and that was at 2 am. We had taken a short break to sneak down to the kitchen to rest and refuel.

My fingers play with the platinum band on his finger. I had taken enough time yesterday to enspell the band with the ability to expand and contract with Jake's phasing so he need never worry about breaking it or taking it off and losing it. He shifts as I'm playing to reveal the swan tattoo on his ribcage. I let his hand fall back on my hips and use the lightest of touches to trace the black bird. I stifle a chortle, remembering how Paul had once made the mistake of teasing my werewolf about the bird etched into his skin. Paul's voice was two octaves higher for a week after that little slip, one that he never made again.

"Morning, my beautiful wife," Jake says, startling me out of my reverie. I gaze up into his twinkling eyes, "Morning my incredibly sexy husband. Sleep well?" He grabs me and pulls me halfway onto his chest as he rolls onto his back, "I slept like a rock, I was exhausted, can't imagine why though," he jokes as his fingers play the the ribbons on my back. "I don't have a clue," I mumble against his bare chest before planting a kiss over his heart. "Mm-hmm, sure," he answers, "So you have no idea how I ended up with bloody scratches all over my back then, Mrs. Black?" I can't supress a giggle and hide my face againts his side, "No Mr. Black, I can't say that I do, but whoever did that to you must have enjoyed what you were doing." He chuckles softly and briefly presses his lips to my forehead. I shift my leg and graze his stiff member. "Did someone miss me?" I ask, rubbing my leg against him. He just smirks so I answer that by lifting the sheet and moving so that I straddle his hips. I lower myself, sheathing him completely in one swift motion, gasping as he sinks in to the hilt. "Oh god Carlie, you're so fucking tight and wet," Jake moans in a husky voice, his large hands finding their way to my hips and moving them in a slow cadence.

My insides are already thrumming after just a few strokes, I know I'm not going ot last long this time. "You feel so fucking good inside of me Jake," I whimper and force my body into a faster tempo. "You like how that big cock feels in that tight little hole of yours?" Jake asks, his tone dripping with lust. "Mm, yeah, so fucking good," I gasp, my head falling back as I put my hands on his thighs for leverage. One of his hands slides lower until his thumb finds my sensitive bud and begins gently flicking it. "Fuck Carlie, I can see my cock pumping in and out of you, " Jake gasps, "It looks so fucking hot. Come for me baby, I want to see how wet you make my cock when you do." His words spurn me on and I start slamming down on him hard and fast, my own cries of pleasure no doubt being heard by every occupant of the house. "Fuck me Jake, fuck me hard, "I plead as my body begins quivering with my impending orgasm. He begins pistoning his hips in rhythm with mine, our bodies crashing together with such force that I would have been knocked off of him if he wasn't holing me in a death grip. I scream his name as my orgasm takes me, but he doesn't slow, instead choosing to move even faster. "I'm so close, cum with me," he begs as his fingers assault my center, causing me to explode as I feel his release hit my walls.

As we come back down, I fall forward onto his chest and wipe the sheen of persperation from my forehead. "Now that is one hell of a way to wake up," I ponder as I catch my breath. He tenderly strokes my hair down my back, "If I have any say in it, that's how you'll wake up every morning sweetheart," he promises. I swat his chest playfully, "Don't make promises you can't keep Mr. Black." He growls and gives me a quick but love filled kiss, "Who says I'm not going to keep it Mrs. Black?" I snicker and slide off the bed with the sheet wrapped around me, "Join me for a shower husband?" Unabashed by his nudity, he springs to his feet, "Sounds delightful, my darling wife."

What begins as an honest attempt to get clean turns into a round of mind blowing shower sex and ends with the breaking of the shower head I was using for leverage while my husband fucked me senseless. I have to turn the water off quickly because water is spraying everywhere, including inside the wall. "Oopsy, I think we killed it," I chirp as I inspect the now useless hunk of metal. "No, my love," he laughs, "this one's all on you." Jake's chortling drowns whoever is banging at the door and yelling. "Hold your fucking horses!" I yell, "I'm getting dressed dammit!" Jake dons a pair of loose fitting jeans that hang low on his hips, giving me a nice view of the V at his hips that I could spend all day licking. Yum. Jake notices me licking my lips and snaps his fingers, "You can have more later. Get dressed for now." I roll my eyes and quickly slip into a pair of black yoga pants and one of Jake's tee shirts. He smiles at my choice and unlocks the door. It swings open to reveal Leah and Mischa, worried looks on their faces. "What the hell did you break?" Leah asks, eyeing us both suspiciously. My husband jerks his thumb at me, "Nessie broke the shower head." Mischa and Leah's face screw into dual masks of shock. "How in the holy hell did you do that?" Mischa presses. I wink at her, "You really don't want to know the answer to that sister mine. Just be comforted in the knowledge that it died for a good cause." I side step them and bounce down the stairs, whistling a random tune as I go. I'm so happy right now that the looks I'm getting from my family sitting at the table don't even register on my annoyance scale.

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

After three nights and two days of gorging ourselves and making love indiscriminately, my husband and I find ourselves doubled over with laughter on Saturday morning as Leah and Mischa convey their thoughts about Thursday morning and the racket that led them to discover that my sister and her new husband had ripped the shower head out of the wall in their bathroom while having sex. "We were so caught up in making fun of them for it that we didn't even notice the little band that had joined her engagement ring until after the third cup of coffee and she laid her hand flat on the table beside me!" Mischa laughs. "Yeah, that's when the house went batshit," Carlie surmises after grinding out her cigarette, "If that secretary hadn't been nice enough to take all of those pictures for us, I think we would have been forced to go back and do it all over again Bells." I shrug, "I wouldn't mind that too much." Edward and I had already talked about having another ceremony if and when we made it through this. It would be more like a wedding reception except that we would renew our vows in front of our family beforehand. Edward even offered it to be another double ceremony to keep the new, special connection we now irrevocably shared with Carlie and Jacob.

I notcie Alice pouting and pat her hand affectionately. She replies with a little smile. The poor pixie knew about the whole plan that our husbands had brewed, but had kept her lips sealed after Edward's not so idle threat to cancel all of her credit cards if he dared to utter a single word about what had been in store for us. They had been planning it for weeks and Alice consoled herself by buying the four of us a mountain of wedding gifts.

The peaceful day is brought up short when Alice announces that it's time to go over to the mansion and start getting ready for the party. "The party doesn't even start until six Ali," Mischa whines, refusing to extract herself from the safety of her mates embrace. Alice is unsympathetic, "It's after two now Misch. Even with the help of you witches, we still have less than four hours to get everyone in this family ready for the biggest graduation party in Forks history!" "Oh my fucking god Ali, are you on crack?" Mischa retorts, "No matter what you do to me, I will still look like a cow when it's all said and done so please cut the bullshit and just be supportive of my choices okay?" Alice gives her a look, "Mischa, you are my little sister and I love you dearly, but if I ever hear you talk bad about yourself like that again, I will smack you across your pretty little mouth." Mischa snorts, "That's easy coming from the ultra skinny girl who never got laughed at by these fucking yahoos that got invited for being a miserable fat ass." Alice turns around, hands on hips, "you know Mischa, you automatically put yourself down when a person even attempts to mention how nice you look or how pretty you are and I'm tired of it. Are you going to let your father's hurtful words chase you around for your whole existence?" Mischa shrugs, "Probably Alice, they've been ingrained in my head for far too long now. I thought we were leaving?" She moves passed the little pixie without another word.

My adopted sister stomps her foot, "Damn! I wish I could find a way to make her understand that she is nothing like her father said she was! If he wasn't already dead I would seriously consider murdering him for utterly destroying any chances of her having good self esteem." I sigh, "Quit stomping before you break the floor. Mischa's going to have that problem her whole life and so we do the only thing we can do and that's to never give up and to always make sure that she knows that we think she is beautiful just the way she is." Alice sighs in defeat as we make our way outside, "I know Bella, it's just hard to see her despising the way she looks, she's so pretty inside and out." I give her a hug before joining my husband in his vehicle.

Edward's face lights up as I slide into the seat, taking my hand in his as soon as the door closes, "There's my beautiful wife," he announces, "I was worried that I was going to have to throw you over my shoulder and run like hell to save you from Alice." I smirk at him, "She's just worried." He nods sagely, "About Mischa, I know. And you're right, we can't change her opinion of herself overnight, so we just have to keep reminding her of how fucking beautiful she is." I bite my lip and nod thoughtfully as a comfortable silence fills the car.

In the time it takes us to get home, Alice has already arrived and has roped Carlisle and Jasper into transferring the boxes of decorations from the garage to the recently completely four level deck. "Decoration Nazi Alice hard at work," Edward mutters as he parks the car, "Are you sure you don't want to run away to Alaska for the next few days?" I laugh and push open the car door, "Tempting, but you know she would just hunt us down and drag us back kicking and screaming. I personally would like to keep the few scraps of dignity I still have for a little while longer, thank you." He lets out a tortured moan and follows me out of the vehicle, "I swear, Alice should have been a dominatrix." I elbow him as he slips an arm around my waist, "I'm sure Jasper would just love to hear that sentiment."

It doesn't take long to finish decorating. Alice then transforms into Fashion Nazi Mode and starts handing out our outfits while barking orders on how each will be worn. I love my sister, but sometimes I'd love to strangle her. It's not like I'd kill her, since breathing is an optional thing with our kind, I just have a feeling that I would feel better after going through the act. Regardless, by the time 6 pm comes around, we are polished, primped, and looking downright fabulous for our guests. We take turns greeting them as they arrive, escorting them to the back deck where the party is rapidly taking on a rave-like atmosphere. I don't even know who some of these people are, but Alice greets every single one of them by name at some point during the evening.

The boys are taking turns in the DJ booth, each playing what suits their musical tastes. Any other time this would cause absolute chaos, but tonight it just seems par for the course. Dozens of young bodies moving to the music blaring out of the speakers, spread over all four levels of the deck. Multi-colored lights filter up from between the levels, flashing and pulsing, thus adding to the night club atmosphere. People do keep making attempts to spike the drinks, but with most of the honorees having a super-sensitive sense of smell, the alcohol infused concoctions are never on the table for long.

At some point, I catch a glimpse of my sister, looking amazing in a simple black halter top dress that has buckles down the front and her knee length boots, and she's dancing very suggestively with her husband, who has already lost his shirt and shoes. They each have a knee between the others legs and Carlie's arms are resting on his shoulders while his hands are on her hips, moving her with the music. Their foreheads are touching, their toned bodies shining with sweat in the flickering lights. I'm moved beyond words to see that she is having such a good time. She's been sad for so long. I sincerely believe that I have been looking at a whole new Carlie since the day we were married to our soul mates. She is always smiling and laughing. I missed that so much.

Edward comes up behind me, snaking his arms around my waist and kissing my neck, "Penny for your thoughts?" I nod my chin in the direction of my sibling and her spouse, "She looks happy." He nods as he begins moving our bodies to the music, "She is Bella. I promise. I'm not saying that she won't have difficulties but, for the first time in a long time, Carlie is truly happy." His lips attack my neck and I don't think about anything else but his body moving in sync with mine and his lips worshipping my skin. Maybe this party wasn't such a bad thing after all.

**ha-ha!! They finally did it!**

**Okay Ladies and Gentleman, it's that time again!**

**REVIEW OR DIE DAMMIT!**


	39. Part 39 Countdown

**I don't own anything copyrighted, I just twist and ****dement**** them for my perverse enjoyment.**

**I guess I should ask this. How many people wanted to kill me after last chapter? ****lol**

**For Leah---go to ****WA's**** last chapter posted and there is a link to the story on Live journal..or try the author profile, she should have a link there ****hun****.**

**Foo Fighters- The Pretender**

Keep you in the dark You know they all pretend Keep you in the dark And so it all began

Send in your skeletons Sing as their bones go marching in... again The need you buried deep The secrets that you keep are at the ready Are you ready?

I'm finished making sense Done pleading ignorance That whole defense Spinning infinity, but The wheel is spinning me It's never ending, never ending Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

In time or so I'm told I'm just another soul for sale... oh, well The page is out of print We are not permanent We're temporary, temporary Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

I'm the voice inside your head You refuse to hear I'm the face that you have to face Mirrored in your stare I'm what's left, I'm what's right I'm the enemy I'm the hand that will take you down Bring you to your knees

So who are you?  
Yeah, who are you?  
Yeah, who are you?  
Yeah, who are you?

Keep you in the dark You know they all pretend

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
(Keep you in the dark)  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
(You know they all... pretend)  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

What if I say I'm not like the others?  
(Keep you in the dark)  
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?  
(You know they all... pretend)  
You're the pretender What if I say that I'll never surrender?

So who are you?  
Yeah, who are you?  
Yeah, who are you?

**Part 39**

**Countdown**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"Today we officially become an adult members of society, leaving our childhood behind once and for all," Eric drones on about how graduation is the end of some things, but the beginning of so many more. Blah blah blah and all that happy horseshit. Bella glances at me, making sure that I had not fallen asleep, yet again, during this mockery of a ceremony. We're seated side by side because it had been too late to change the seating order and place us under our married names, but I didn't mind too much. They offered to tack our married names at the end when they announced us and that was just fine with me. The tacky yellow cap and gown I could stand to pour gasoline on and torch though. I cover a yawn with my hand and notice Jessica Stanley doing a bad job of trying to be subtle as she stared at us. As I move my hand, I casually give her the middle finger, causing her to gasp and snap her head back to Eric's trembling form up on the stage.

"I really wish he would hurry the fuck up, before I start using him for target practice," I grumble to Bella, who sighs and nods slightly. Mike Newton turns in his chair in front of us, "So, any plans for the summer girls?" I reach up and flick the tip of his nose, "Not with you Newt. We'll be too busy banging our husbands all over Europe while you get stuck fingering some other poor bastard's jizz out of Jessica's rotten snatch before you can get a piece. Now shut the fuck up and turn around before I rip your balls off and hang them from my rear view mirror." He pales significantly at the threat and turns his back to us. Neither Bella or I had made any secret of our marriages the past two weeks and though the news has earned us numerous dirty looks and evil sneers, we refused to be shamed by our choice. Newton is guilty by association since him and Jessica have been an item off and on the past two years. It just so happens that they were currently on again when Jessica made the dumbass mistake of fucking with Rainne a few weeks ago. To make matters worse, Jessica's mother has been the one spreading the rumor that Bella and I had rushed to get married because we'd both manage to get knocked up. Bella gives me a nudge, then an ornery smirk. Ten seconds later, Lauren Mallory shifts in her seat slightly and then I hear the loudest bout of flatulence I have ever encountered. The entire gymnasium looks around for the source, following the leers of the students surrounding Lauren. Her face turns about ten different shades of red, refusing to meet the amused or horrified looks aimed in her direction. Eric stumbles in his speech, but quickly recovers to continue his giddy speech. Allen catches my eye, grins impishly, and touches his forefinger to his nose. Ah, that sneaky bastard. I'm so glad he's on our side.

This little prank is repeated three more times before Lauren jumps from her seat and sprints out of the building, leaving four very smug witches laughing openly amongst the guffaws resounding through the large space. The principal must have seen the rapid deterioration of attention because he motions for Eric to conclude his performance. As soon as he is quiet, Mr. Banner steps forward and begins calling the names of the graduates. When the names of our little gang are called, we all cheer and catcall without restraint. Our calls our amplified by the members of Sam's pack and other members of our packs relatives. All in all, our family ends up with the loudest cheering squad out of the entire graduating class. Then our time comes. "Carlie Elizabeth Swan-Black, Isabella Marie Swan-Cullen," Mr. Banner announces in his tired monotone. I didn't bother closing my gown and get a collective gasp when people get a look at my buckle and strap covered boustier, suicide pants, and leather boots as I cross the stage. As Bella and I receive our diplomas, we hear Jake and Edward both shout, "That's my wife!" their pride unmistakable in their voices, and I blush enough for both of us.

As we were the last of the group to walk the stage, our family is waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Congratulations baby!" Jake yells as he scoops me up in his arms and swings me in circles over his head a few times before lowering me to his lips. His mouth still tastes like the pumpkin spice cappuccino he had on the way here. Yum! We're interrupted by Sam's crew and everyones parents. Quil's semi-girlfriend Megan catches his hand and grips it tightly as he is hugged by various people. "Oh look, the little women is jealous of his family," Edward whispers in my ear. I snicker and nod, "Boy does she have a few nasty surprises in store for her then." Then an evil thought comes to mind. I grab Rainne, "How bad do you want to give this backwater place a collective heart attack?" I ask her. She grins evilly, "What do you have in mind?" "Do you trust me?" I inquire, wrapping an arm around her waist. She nods and wraps her arms around my neck, guessing my plan. As soon as she's in my arms, we have the crowds undivided attention so I level my lips with hers, barely touching for the span of a few heartbeats, then crush my lips against hers. I feel her tongue graze my bottom lip and opt to go for broke by opening my mouth to hers and dueling her tongue with my own. Wow. I'd almost forgotten how nice it is to kiss a girl. All too soon, our mates nervous chortling forces us apart."Someone check on Seth to make sure their little stunt didn't make him drop dead over there," Edward teases. "That was nice," Rainne admits, "I know who I'm going after if anything happens to us Embry." Jake and Embry share an almost smug look before ensnaring us in their arms and pulling us out of the gym.

Despite the sunny day, our vampires do not sparkle. Over the past few days, the witches had finally devised a way to tone down the glimmer to a subtle luminecence, thus giving our vampires the ability to walk amongst the human population on a sunny day for the first time. As we shed our robes and mount our motorbikes, I feel like my chest is going to burst from the overhwelming pride and love I feel for my family. Jasper senses my spiked emotions and gives me a heartfelt hug and whispers, "We love you and are so proud of you as well, my dear little sister," before kissing my forehead. I would bet that my grin wraps all around my head as I pull my helmet on and fire up my bike.

The gang gathers at my house for a little celebration of our own. Quil even brings his girlfriend over. That problem had been settled earlier after days of deliberation about her trustworthiness. Of course, we hide who and what we are from her, but do not deny the fact that even though she is not Quil's imprint, she is important to him. Sam's pack arrives within the hour, after depositing all relevant parental units safely at home. Jared introduces us to his imprint, a girl named Kim, and Paul brings Jake's sister, Rachel, whom he had imprinted on when she had come home for Jake's graduation. Nicoli and Alexi, like Quil, have not imprinted yet, but did not bring their girlfriends thankfully, because Sam refused to betray our trust by inviting strangers to the place his pack considers a second home. Sam and Jared disappear periodically because they have two new members in the pack who are not quite ready to be introduced to this motley crew. They are running perimeter checks and need to be checked on often. Jake and Leah go out a few times during the get together to check on them as well.

Kim and Rachel are stunned and speechless, seeing all of us under one roof, as this is their first time to the Den. "No matter how many times he explained it to me, I couldn't believe that all of you got on so well," Kim confesses to me as I hand her another soda. I chuckle and sit down on the lawn chair vacated by Jared, "It didn't start out this easy, that's for sure, but they loved Bella and I so much that they did everything in their power to set aside the very instincts used to keep them out of harms way to make sure we knew we were safe and loved." "And we would do it all over again because we love you," Alice quips as she plops her lithe body onto my lap. I wrap an arm around her to prevent her sliding off of my legs, "I know Tink, I love you too." Kim gives my arm a quizzical look, "Are you messing around with all of the girls?" Alice leans over and gives me a peck on the cheek. "Maybe she is, maybe she isn't," Alice retorts with an enigmatic smirk, "Speaking of messing around Nessie, Jasper said that he has your black bikini top, the one with the chain straps? Yeah, he found it in the truck the other day after we dropped you off." I shake my head, "I looked everywhere for that damn thing after you got me out of it. Where was it?" She winks, "It was under the seat on the passenger side, right under the shirt you took off of me that day."

Kim swallows loudly, "Do I even want to know?" I shrug, " I don't know. It might be more fun to just let you keep on getting the wrong impression." Alice's giggling breaks any inferrence, "Oh Kim, if you're a little worried that Carlie is gong to drag you off behind the bushes and have her way with you, you have a lot to learn about us dear. None of us care what sexual preference anyone has, we are just affectionate with each other. Gay, straight, and anything in between, we don't care, we just love unconditionally. Our whole family is like that, it doesn't mean we're all intimate with one another. Besides, if you ever wanted to get down and dirty with another girl, I think Carlie would be an excellent specimen to experiment with."

Our little discussion is abruptly cut off when Jared runs up, scoops up his mate, and runs around the side of the house with her slung over his shoulder. I know what's up, I've seen that excited look too many times to count. "They must be setting up the catapults," I surmise, hugging Alice one last time and setting her on her feet. "Let's go watch the new girls have heart attacks when their mates get launched!" We link arms and skip, yes I said skip, around to the side yard where both catapults are already in position to be fired.

"Who gets to be fodder first?" I playfully inquire, invoking shudders from the unsuspecting girls. I know that we won't be launching anyone any farther than the lake, to keep up appearances, but it's fucking hilarious to witness the horrified reactions of Kim, Rachel, and Megan. "You asked first so you are," Edward retorts, earning him a glare from Jake. I grin maniacally, "Fucking awesome! You girls will now get to see what we do for fun!" Megan actually whimpers as I situate myself in the basket. "Aw, come on Megan, it could be worse," Mischa taunts," We could have just got liquored up and had an orgy." I don't catch Megan's response because I'm suddenly flying through the air in a mess of hair and flailing limbs. Luckily, I hit the water feet first. I don't touch the bottom, but quickly begin kicking my legs to propel myself upwards. As my head breaks the surface, my ears are filled with the sounds of cheering and laughter. Emmett and Seth pull me the rest of the way out of the water, poking fun at my landing as the do so.

As I circle the lake, the second victim is launched. I don't need to see their face to know that it is Alice. Her squeals are enough to alert anyone to her flight. By the time I reach the group, another person is flying through the sky. Paul this time, spewing every curse word known in English and Quileute until he belly flops into the water. On the far side of the second machine, I can see Megan and Quil arguing. I slink closer to hear her demanding that he either not take his turn or take her home. I shuffle over to Quil's side and snake an arm around his waist, "Trouble?" Quil shrugs while Megan's face becomes infuriated at the sight of me being so casual with her boyfriend. "Get your grubby hands off of him!" she demands, taking a step in my direction. I look from her to Quil and back, "What? There's no need to be jealous of me all of a sudden. He's like my little brother, Megan, besides the fact that I am married to that big lug over there," I gesture in Jake's direction, "I think you just need to take a few deep breaths and calm down kiddo. Getting upset and giving yourself a panic attack helps no one."

I see Jasper behind her, giving me q questioning look. I give a barely perceptible nod and immediately see her relax. I mouth a 'thank you' to him and he answers with a smile as Quil crosses the short distance to hold her. "Maybe I should just take her home," he offers while rubbing slow circles on her back. I nod, "Yeah, because the days activities are only getting to get rowdier and I'm not quite sure she'd handle any of them very well. I'm sorry hun." He gives me a brief one-armed hug, "Not your fault Carlie. You were the one that warned me that bringing her may not have been the best idea. You were right, I'm sorry." I shrug a shoulder, "I didn't want to be right Quil. I know you care about her and just wanted to show her your family. There's no need to apologize for that." "Thanks Carlie," he mumbles and pulls her off to say good bye to everyone.

What's funny is that as soon as the others hear the car hit the main road, the entire atmosphere relaxes. Music gets turned on and the catapults are recalibrated. The wolves strip down and eagerly don the kilts that Mischa and Alice spent weeks custom making for them. They have each been specially made for each wolf's body and enchanted to not only shrink and stretch, but to mend themselves if the wolf grows too quickly for the material to safely tolerate. Leah has a similarly ensorcelled top to match her kilt, of course. Hilarity ensues, of course, because Emmett gets the idea of launching people side by side and having them heave water balloons at one another at the same time. After a few water filled, Emmett sized craters later, he abandons the idea and lets the entertainment veer back on its intended course.

As the sun began to set behind the trees, Sam and Emily take his old truck to pickup the pizza I had ordered over and hour ago. They pizzaria needed that much time to make the 20 pizza's that I'd ordered to feed the two packs of ravenous werewolves and handful of humans. While taking turns getting showered and changing into dry clothes, the boys had managed to gather a humungous pile of firewood. By the time I'm scrubbed and dressed in my comfy yoga pants and long sleeve tee shirt, I can see the flames of the fire from my window. I can hear Jake rummaging through his dresser in the closet. "Honey, have you seen those black sweats that Dad got me for my birthday?" his voice filters out. I chuckle internally at the utter domesticity of the situation. Well, we are married after all, so it stands to reason that things would have a more domestic feel to them now. "Check in the laundry basket beside your dresser love," I answer as I comb the tangles out of my hair then put it up in a messy bun.

A few minutes later, I hear his sounds of victory and he steps back into the room, adjusting the waistband of the sweatpants, "Much better," he languidly confesses. "Mm-hm," I hum happily as I let my eyes roam over his bare, muscled chest. Goddamn, my husband left those six pack abs in the dust and went for a full dozen! I bite my bottom lip as my gaze hungrily takes in the perfect V disappearing into his sweats. "Like something you see Mrs. Black?" Jake teases, putting his hands on his hips. I close the space between us and run my hands from his waist to his neck, "I see something that I like very much Mr. Black. There's this drop dead gorgeous Indian standing in my bedroom and I can't get my mind off of all the decadent, dirty things I would just love to do to him." His dark eyes are hooded with lust as his hands lightly grasp my waist, "Oh, really? Do tell, my beautiful wife." I feel my heart start pounding wildly in my chest as he pulls me close, his fingers slipping under the fabric of my pants, "Well, he has a smile that makes me weak in the knees and sometimes he looks at me a certain way and I have to change my undies because they're instantly soaked. And the way his hands feel--" "Get your asses down here before we send Alice up there to give you both a makeover!" Rosalie threatens from the bottom of the stairwell. "Psycho Blond strikes again," I snicker as Jake lets out a strangled moan and his lips attack my neck. "Let's just block the door off so I can thoroughly ravish my wife," he mutters as his lips graze my collarbone, " And if anyone dares to come in, you can turn them into random cartoon characters or something." I chortle and smack his arm, "Later my love. I don't think either of us want Alice dragging us off for the cruel and unusual punishment she calls a shopping spree." He grudgingly agrees and we walk down to the bonfire, hands around the others waist.

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

In the two weeks since graduation, I've begun to notice a shift in the atmosphere. Things are changing, transforming, the storm clouds that hovered on the horizon are now slowly creeping towards us. I'm not the only one who has noticed either. The family as a whole as sensed the difference and it reflects in our everyday lives. It's an unspoken rule that no one goes anywhere alone and that no matter where you go, you keep your cell phone with you at all times. Everyone patrols now, including the three other witches. After Carlie and I had gotten into an argument about their safety, Edward and Jake finally spoke up and agreed that the witches would make a good back up for the wolves. I had fought vehemently against it, but had been outvoted. The vampires tried to avoid crossing the trails of the werewolves when we went out and they did the same for us. Though we had the scent-shifting practically down to a science, we didn't want to overuse it and waste a very valuable tool if it was discovered too soon by the Volturi.

The Denali's, along with a much humbled Tanya, arrived four days after graduation to train with us and the wolves. They have a new addition to their family, a hulking blond haired, orange eyed nomad by the name of Garrett. He and Kate look as blissfully happy as I imagine Edward and I do. Garrett is still adjusting to our vegetarian lifestyle, but similar to Jasper, he does his best because it means so much to her to preserve human life. Upon seeing him for the first time, there is no doubt that he is an adventurer. His normal wardrobe consists of hiking boots, sturdy canvas cargo pants, and whatever tee shirt he can fit into along with his Indiana Jones style fedora. I can't complain really. Even for a vampire, Garrett is an easy going person with a sense of humor to match. His golden tresses are skillfully bound in a leather thong, and when outside, his eyes are usually covered with aviator sunglasses.

After working our magic, literally, on our extended family to change their appearance and scent, their natural apprehension to our powers is finally overcome by sheer curiosity about it. Garrett now makes a point of referencing Harry Potter, David Eddings, and Dungeons and Dragons any time we use out abilities in front of him. Mischa got fed up with it during one Muay Thai lesson in the mountains and levitated him 10 feet over the edge of a cliff for 20 minutes until he promised to never call her Hermione ever again.

Regardless of our worries and need for secrecy, we made the decision to reach out to other vampires who also have been thereatened by the Volturi over simple disagreements concerning lifestyles. Between Carlisle, Jasper, Edward, and Emmett, a number of like-minded mutinous vampires are waiting to converge on Italy. Allen and Mischa are working on something in secret, but have been too careful thus far to let anything slip as to what it may be. They've promised that it will help in our planned hostile takeover. The individual passing of the days have ceased to mean much to me, instead forcing myself to focus on my family and the task ahead of us. Alice spends half the time searching the future, trying to determine whether each decision will help or hinder our goals of staying firmly rooted in our current existence.

"Earth to Bella," Emmett booms, causing me to drop the third drained deer of the night from my hands. I stare at its lifeless eyes blankly for a moment until my mind catches back up. "What Em?" I ask, straightening myself and cheakcin my clothes for blood. He shakes his head, smirking, "Thinking about you and Edward going bouncy bouncy again Bellaboo?" I glare at him, "You know Emmett, you are the only vampire I've ever met who uses at least half of their brain to think about sex all the time." His thunderous laughter echoes through the little hollow we're standing in. "Oh Bells, it's usually more than half but that's the whole reason I'm better in bed than any other vampire!" he boasts between fits of mirth. I snort, "Yeah, way to exemplify your humility there brother bear."

"Emmett, you get any louder, we might as well run all the way to Canada for a meal,"Jasper chides as he strolls over the hill, Alice clinging to his back. Rosalie is on their heels, "If you're done gorging yourselves, Carlisle and Edward are wrestling in the next clearing, Bella, and I think you need to go save your husband." I shake my head, "Edward jus can't wrap his head around the fact that Carlisle has ended up such a skilled fighter. I always thought it would be easy considering Carlisle is a doctor and knows what places to hit to cause the most damage."

I follow my siblings to another, larger, clearing to find my husband circling his father. He moves like the lion he is so fond of, lean muscles stretching and rippling in such a way that my stomach knots up with desire. For once, Edward is too preoccupied to embarrass me over my arousal, his focus entirely on seeking out a weakness in Carlisle's defensive stance. I see his green eyes flash with some new insight and he strikes faster than a cobra. The sounds of boulders colliding fill the void between bouts of thunder as father and son try to best each other. Esme wraps an arm around me and plants a quick kiss on my forehead, "They have a small wager going this time sweetie," she warns, a disapproving look on her heart-shaped face. "What's the wager?" Emmett and Jasper ask in one voice, their eyes alight with curiosity. She gives them her disapproving mom glare and they wisely let the subject drop. A few seconds later, Carlisle's triumphant laugh drowns out Edward's frustrated snarl. "Time to get home children," our adopted mother announces and pulls me after her, away from the competitive duo. We ignore the pleading sounds of our husbands as we drop our arms from each other and break into a sprint over the terrain.

"Friday is July Fourth. You know, that only gives us four days to prepare," Alice announces as she matches pace with us, "The wolves want to keep things casual in case something comes up. I wonder which definition of casual they are inferring." I can't suppress a grimace at the thought of our family spending Independence day in cocktail dresses and suits, "Um Ali, I don't think anyone would appreciate it if you stuffed us into semi-formal wear on a day that tradition shows that cut offs, tank tops, and sandals are the attire of choice." I can see her pouting in my peripheral vision. "There's no need to pout pixie," I tell her, "Everyone deserves a day to just be comfortable and have fun." "I know," she mumbles, lithely jumping over a log. I try to console her, "Think about it this way sis, you would have the perfect excuse to wear those Daisy Dukes that you know Jasper would just go nuts over, especially if you paired them with those cowboy boots I saw in your closet. Give him a little taste of Texas." Her face immediately lights up, "You're right! Wow, who would have ever thought that little Bella would ever give someone fashion advice?!" "Maybe the same people who foresaw our Bells being able to tame the beast that is Eddie," Emmett offers as he and Rose also settle into our speed. We banter back and forth, Jasper joining our conversation halfway home. Carlisle and Edward seem content to jog a slight distance behind us with enough space between so that we don't overhear their discussion.

After they thank the Denalis for keeping watch while we went hunting, Edward calls for Jasper and Emmett to join them in Carlisle's office. Soon after, Eleazar joins them. We had long ago magically soundproofed the room for private talks such as these, and I can't help but give myself a little kick for being miffed because I can't hear them now. I look to Alice, who is glossing over web pages pertaining to party lights with a red, white, and blue theme, "Ali, what's going on?" Her violet orbs glaze over for a few seconds before she sighs, "Carlisle got a call on the way home from another nomad about a potential problem, someone in the Volturi guard named Demetri. He is an exceptional tracker and they," she points a finger upward," are wondering how well you and Carlie's shielding abilities will do against it. They know James wasn't able to track either of you, that's why him or his underlings had to stay so close to keep tabs on you, but no one knows what will have changed, if anything, now that one of you is a vampire." Her eyes cloud over again for a momnet, then clear as she leaps to her feet and dashes up the stairs.

I chase after her, worried about her latest vision. I come to a stop in front of the open office door, Alice bouncing with glee,"They won't fight someone they view as their own kind!" she announces, ecstatic over the news, "Jane and Alec were witches, not powerful, kind of like Rainne actually, but it's enough that they won't have anything to do with harming Bella or Carlie! The Crown Jewels of Aro's collection of soldiers have just been rendered useless! Of course, that means the Volturi guard are mobilizing and we have to be out of here by 9 am on July third, but when we get to Italy, we'll have two new allies to call upon! We're definitely going to win now!" Edward pulls me into his lap as I absorb the new information. On one side, I'm overwhelmed with terror because the very thing we have trained for and feared is now here but on the other hand, I feel like the weight of a thousand worlds has just been lifted from my shoulders. The time to fight or die has arrived, yes, but we were going to win. And members of the Volturi are going to help do it.

**(Allen's ****POV****)**

I look over the schematics one last time before throwing them into the lit fireplace. Mischa, Carlie, Rainne, and I agreed that it would be the best course of action just in case anyone decided to get snoopy at the last minute. We were also worried about any Volturi finding a way into our sanctuary and discovering what us humans had in store for their little city of death. As fucked up as it might be, the idea had originally come from Carlie, who had thought it up after discovering that Edward and Jacob had left James alive after we rescued them from their slice of hell. Rescued. I snort at the thought. Those girls had more fucking power coursing through them than a nuclear power plant by the time we managed to find them.

I toss a stack of legal papers into the miniature inferno next. It had taken forever to buy, blackmail, and sometimes outright steal all of the components that were now safely awaiting assembly in a tiny flat in Voltera itself. It's amazing how stupid some vampires think humans are, and even if these ones didn't, we had covered our tracks so well that it would take the next century to make sense of the paper trails. Huh, the things we do for those we love. I look at a picture on the mantel. It's Leah and I at the beach in La Push, her angelic face resting against my chest as we danced barefoot during twilight and the rising of the tide. The hem of her broomstick skirt had gotten wet so he was holding on side of it in her hand as we waltzed in the wet sand.

That was the day I knew that despite the imprinting, I was completely in love with her and she was in love with me. I had given her an anklet that evening made of a few dozen infinity knots linked together. I had enchanted it so that it would grow or shrink as she needed it to and explained to her that I had chosen the infinity knot over a heart design because eventually, a heart can be broken or cease to be whereas infinity is just that. Forever. No end and no beginning and therefore cannot be broken or stopped. I had told her that I knew that she wasn't ready for marriage and I was fine with that. I promised her that I would wait as long as it took because I knew there would never be another in our hearts but each other.

My eyes burn with tears that want to fall, but I rub them and light another cigarette. The time to cry will come soon enough, when we are left to deal with the aftermath. The papers send licks of blue streaking through the flames, and tiny sparks shoot out as the enchantments on the documents are broken. I have a lot of faith in those that I have come to think of as family, but I realize that it takes more than faith to pull off something like this, no matter how talented we are, no matter how much we train. Once we reach Italy, it will take no time at all to construct our back up plan. Moving it will be nearly as easy.

Now we just have to hope that if we have to use it that it doesn't kill the very ones we are trying to save.

***cue dramatic music* dun-dun-duh! How does that work for ya, devoted readers? Was the fucking cryptic enough?**

**I have slaved over this chapter to make you, my beloved readers that I love very much, as happy as I possibly can. Return the favor by pressing that little button and leaving me a review.**

**For everyone else.....**

**REVIEW OR DIE**


	40. Part 40 What Things May Come

**Even though I beg, plead, and occasionally stalk, S.M. still refuses to hand over the rights to Twilight so I gave up trying to get the rights to anything else I use either.**

**Oh, and I really do want to thank everyone who has reviewed, put this story or me on their favorites, or just stopped by out of sheer pity for this lunatic. You're wonderful reviews make me want to work that much harder to give you the best work I can provide.**

**Tricky- Excess**

Tricky :  
I believe in

I deceive in

Bottom weaving

I can breathe in

Make a wish in

Flower fishing

Moving vibration

Mild relation

Im jamaican

on your radio station

Got a curse in

Could be worse in

You first

In a hearse in

Good as dead in

Nothing left in

Nothing left in

Some be heading

I need a head rest in

And a feed from

a warm breast

A man making hits

For the childhood of hicks

Underground like

Whos it sound like

You all sound the same

But you dont know my name

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in people lying

I believe in people dying

I believe in people trying

I believe in people crying

Alanis morissette:  
Ah

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in people

balking I believe in

people talking

Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in

people breathing

I believe in

people being

Tricky:  
We all sound the same

You dont know my name

Rearrange and

Things dont change

Things remain

Feel the strain

Stress Catch my breath

(therell be a new tale of)

Get some rest

(he and I)

From the mess

(in fact any time)

I couldnt care less

(every day)

Sugar cane

(write fictional stories)

Is like smack to my vein

Shook fame

(if you want to)  
But I dont complain

(on the street)

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in

different reasons

I believe in

breath through seasons

I believe when

snow flakes fall

I believe in buildings tall

Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in

people bombing

I believe in people warring

I believe diseases coming I

believe thats

why Im running

Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

Keep living

Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

Keep living

Tricky:

(alanis morissette in the background)

You gotta ask

(therell be a new tale of)

Before he attacks

(he and I)

You got the flats

(in fact any time)

Dub my sacks

(every day)

Youve got the city

(writing fictional stories)

Move out of the country

Im scrunching

(if you want to)

Friends that are punchy

(on the street)

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in

people falling

I believe in

people warring

I believe

diseases coming

I believe thats

why Im running

Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in

people balking

I believe in

people talking

Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

I believe in

people breathing

I believe in people

being Alanis morissette:

Ah

Stephanie mckay:

Keep living...

**Part 40**

**What Things May Come**

**(Mischa's ****POV****)**

"Don't worry about the damn cottage Edward, we'll finish it when we get home," Bella argues as her husband rants in front of the partially destroyed building, "You can't hold yourself responsible for a damn tree falling on it." He runs his hands through his hair and shakes his head, "I know, but I made a fucking promise to myself to have it done before we had to leave so it was ready to move into if, when, we came home. You weren't even supposed to know about it until then."She closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of the nose between her thumb and forefinger, a habit she picked up from her husband, "Edward, stop beating yourself up over this. I'm not mad, I'm not disappointed, please believe me when I say I'm honored that you were renovating this, all by yourself, just for us." He tugs at his hair for a moment before letting his hands drop in defeat, "I wanted something just for us angel. A place away from everyone else so we didn't have to worry about interruptions or annoying teenage werewolves. Dammit, I wonder if the insurance will cover this." Bella groans, "Who cares about the damn insurance company Edward?! We're leaving for Italy to fight for our very existence and you're worried about if a tree falling on the damn is house is covered by our insurance?! Have you lost your vampire mind?!"

I look at Allen, who is biting his cheeks to keep from laughing, "Do you ever get the feeling that you're stuck in a bad mash up of Buffy and Home Improvement?" He leans over, "Yeah, but which one is Tim the Toolman?" I shrug, "Does it matter? Get the fucking video camera so we can show Emmett later." We share an impish grin and Allen produces his recorder.  
"Tonight, on this episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Demented, our lovely young couple is trying to come up with the best plan to extract their sister from under the fallen house," Allen narrates. I pull out my cell and capture as much as I can on it.

"No Bella, I haven't lost my mind!" Edward retorts, "Fucking excuse me for wanting to do something right for once in my fucking life!" Bella stiffens and crosses her arms, "And what exactly is that supposed to mean Cullen? Are you implying that I'm not something you did right?!" I nudge Allen, "She called him Cullen, this is about to either get really good or turn into a bad porno." Allen damn near drops his camera trying to stifle his laughter.

"What the fuck are you two laughing at?!" Edward suddenly yells in our direction. We exchange another grin and shrug. "You guys actually," I answer, unabashed by his temper tantrum, "This whole thing sounds like it should be part of a Mexican soap opera or some shit." Edward glares at us, a growl rumbling out of his chest. "Oh, don't give me that bullshit Cullen or I'm going to pimp slap you, you little vampire bitch," Allen threatens, still aiming the camera at the couple. "You're filming us?" Bella asks, a slight growl in her voice as well. We both nod happily, "Damn skippy," I answer, "This is too much fun to pass up Bellaboo. By all means, keep arguing about the tree house and insurance policies, I bet that Meyer lady sure never thought vampires would have domestic issues like this!" Edward roars in frustration and turns back to the cottage. "Um Eddie, we can move the tree for you, unless you want to wait for the insurance adjuster," Allen taunts, undaunted by the half crazed vampire before him, "I mean we can leave it there if you want, I'm sure the squirrels and mice have been traumatized for one day, don't you? Hell, their house just got blown over and now they have to worry about an insane vampire trying to eat them."

Another feral snarl rips through Edward as he charges Allen. Allen responds by flicking his wrist and shooting Edward 20 feet in the air and spinning him in cartwheels. "Holy shit! It actually worked!" Allen yells in surprise," I wonder how long that will hold him! Uh-oh!" he finishes as the bronze-haired revolutions increase in velocity and launch him over the canopy of trees. "Oh shit," Allen mutters, then looks at me,"Oh crap. Um, run." We take off through the trees in the opposite direction, going as fast as our legs will allow.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

Rosalie is bent in half laughing as the screaming vampire catapults through the air towards us. "I can't believe that worked!" I mumble to myself, lowering my binoculars. Emmett steps outside and looks up to the roof where we are perched,"What's so funny you two?" He turns to the nearing shrieks of terror just as Edward's form slams into the ground mere inches from Emmett's feet. "What the hell?" Emmett yells as he jumps back, "Edward? What happened man?" Edward lifts his head and looks around, obviously dazed, "I don't know," he manages before mumbling something incoherent. "Just laugh sweetheart, trust me," Rosalie assures her husband, "I'll explain it later."

Bella comes cashing out of the underbrush, "Edward! Are you okay?" she cries out as she sinks to her knees beside her husband and the Edward-sized crater. He looks at her and actually smiles, "That was fun!" She kisses his forehead and looks to Carlisle, as the others have also run outside, "Can vampires get brain damage? Because if they can, I think Edward has it." "Why do you say that?" Edward babbles, swaying drunkenly as Emmett helps him to his feet," I feel perfectly fine." He looks upwards and points to a passing bird flying overhead, "Look angel, circlebirds! I wonder if they want to be friends." Bella throws her hands out towards him, "That's why." Carlisle's face is a mixture of concern and amusement, "Let's get him inside so I can assess his injuries. I'm sure if there is any damage to his brain, it will heal very rapidly daughter. When I'm finished, would someone be kind enough to explain to me what happened?" Rosalie jumps down from the roof," I can do that Carlisle, but it really would be best to wait so I can tell all of you at once." Everyone nods but Emmett, who groans like a child who has been told to clean his room.

As everyone walks into the house, Jasper appears to help me off of the roof. "What are you doing here Carlie?" he inquires as he gathers me snugly to his chest. I sigh, "Bella and I were supposed to change every-bodies scents again before we leave tonight, but when I got here, she was MIA and Rose was watching something from the roof. She came and got me, telling me I just had to see what was unravelling." He drops down onto the back deck with a casual step from the roof, "Is that why you needed binoculars? To see what was happening?" I nod as we land, amazed that I wasn't jostled at all as his feet hit the ground. "Trust me Jasper," I promise," It is definitely a story worth waiting for. Egoward just got knocked down a peg or twelve. Now we just have to hope that he doesn't kill Allen or Mischa when he remembers what the hell went down." Jasper smirks mischievously, "Don't worry, if the wolves can't protect them, I'm sure Em won't have a problem helping me keep Edward from doing anything else stupid. I'm guessing he's already done something to that effect if the Goth twins and a crater in the yard are any indication." I bob my head in agreement, "But I'm not saying they didn't deserve some kind of reaction out of him. If Rosalie's interpretations of their conversation are correct, they were goading Edward." He lowers me to my feet and pats my back, "Well, it sounds like it's going to be one hell of a story. I'm looking forward to hearing it."

We wander into the house, his arm draped lightly over my shoulder, to see Bella fussing over her husband. Edward's head snaps in our direction and his eyes are much clearer than they had been just a few minutes before. "How do you feel brother mine? Any more unscheduled flights we should know about?" I ask in a playful tone. His twinkling jade orbs flicker to his wife as she thrusts a canteen full of fresh animal blood into his hands, "Save me from your sister and I'll be just peachy Nessie," he responds, affection and irritation intermingling in his voice. He quickly drains the the blood out of the plastic container, "Bella, for the hundredth fucking time, I'm okay angel. Once Carlisle got that damned piece of metal out of my head, everything got clear real quick. Please stop fussing, you're making me nervous." "Metal in your head?" I ask just as Jasper sends out a calming wave to relieve the building tension, "How in the hell did your thick fucking skull manage to get pierced by something as soft as steel?" He shrugs, "Right angle, right velocity. A fluke that I'm glad happened to me instead of anyone else," his tone softens at the end, his eyes once again on Bella.

Alice comes dashing in, "Okay, time for the human to get out!" she announces in her usual Red Bull faerie voice, "We still have things to get ready and you have to go check on Allen and Mischa, baby sister. And I think that's the only way I'll get my husband back from you." Jasper chuckles at my side, "She's feeling a little overprotective right now Carlie, please don't take it personally," he stage whispers in my ear then gives me a peck on the forehead and a hug before releasing me. We both know why she's like this, because the countdown has almost reached zero. I give a two fingered salute, "Then ciao my deranged relatives, see you on the plane," I reply in the lightest voice I can muster before heading out to my bike. Before I can get on the motorcycle, I'm scooped up into a hug by Esme. "I know I'm not your birth mother and I haven't been able to protect you like I promised, but I love you so much, my sweet girl," she whispers fervently. I squeeze her with all of my strength, "I know Mom, I love you too." She's choking back a sob when she relinquishes her hold on me, "Be careful baby girl," she pleads. I kiss her cheek," I'll do the best I can, I promise." She nods once, her blue-green eyes glimmering with tears that will never fall. I pull on my helmet and hop on the bike as I start it, "I'll see you tomorrow Esme, go inside and listen to Rosalie's story, it's fucking hilarious." I hit the throttle before she can say another word mostly because, like everyone else in this family, I cannot bear to see Esme cry.

As I get closer to the Den, a red-brown streak moving parellel to the road captures my attention. My Jacob. Looks like someone wants to race. My lips curl into a grin as I upshift the bike into fifth gear. He always wins, damn werewolf speed, but it's a fun game to play nontheless. As I turn onto the gravel road that is our driveway, my werewolf bursts out from the forest and lopes alongside me during the home stretch. *Welcome home sweetheart. Missed you, give me a sec* he thinks to me as I slow the bike to a stop in front of the garage and he pads the rest of the way in to phase and dress. I've missed him so much in the two days we've been apart while he has patrolled with the pack. I push the bike into its spot, setting the kick stand before removing my helmet and jacket.

As I slide my helmet into its place on the shelf, warm hands ensnare me and lips assault the back of my neck, "You hace no idea how much I've missed you Mrs. Black," he growls against my skin. I reach my arms over my head and fist my hands into his shaggy mane, "Oh, I think I have a little bit of an idea Mr. Black," I gasp as his hardness pushes into my back. I spin around and he lifts me to his lips, my legs wrapping around his waist as we crash together so passionately that our teeth smack against each other, but I don't care. All I want is to be closer to him. Our torsos meld and yet it still isn't enough, my damn clothes are in the way. When the annoying need to breathe separates us, he pulls back to look at me, a lock of his raven hair falling over one eye. "Let's take this to our room before I lose all semblance of control," Jacob purrs, sending a shiver through my body. I brush the errant hairs from his face and bob my head once. "Hurry," I whisper, my desperate need making my voice husky.

We begin the ascent to our room and are stopped by Seth and Embry arguing. "The Millennium Falcon is not a trash compactor!" Seth screams, hurling a plastic cup at his pack brothers head. Embry neatly dodges it, "Bullshit little brother, that hunk of junk is only good for two things, storing trash and being used as target practice!" Seth begins shaking for a split second before he leaps at Embry, furploding in mid jump. Embry phases right before Seth's body crashes into his own. Jake drops me on the couch and turns his ire on his pack mates. "Dammit you two! We haven't been home an hour and you're already trashing the place! Get your asses outside before I skin the both of you!" he roars, the double treble of his alpha status seeping through into his human voice. Short whines of what I think is apology emanate from the wolves muzzles as they cross the short distance to the backdoor, slipping out before Jake or I have another chance to chastise them.

My husband looks to me, my body still lying in the prone position I fell in when he dumped me on the sofa. His eyes darken with lust once more as he closes the space between us in three strides. "Where were we?" he asks as he lowers himself to hover over me, "Ah, yes, I remember now." His head dips down and nuzzles my neck while the arm not supporting his weight ghosts down my frame until his hand clips under my jeans and cups my dripping sex. I bite my hand in a futile effort to stifle the throaty moan that escapes me. His hips grind into mine, "I love knowing that I'm the one making those sounds come out of you Carlie," he murmurs as his lips trace my collarbone. His forefinger slips between my folds and he gently drags it back and forth, eliciting some not so subtle whimpers out of me.

"What the hell? Isn't that what a bedroom is for?" Leah's voice rings out, bursting our little bubble. Jake quickly removes his hand and pushes himself to the opposite end of the couch. I sit up and fix my shirt, "Aren't you supposed to be stopping your boyfriend and future sister-in-law from running all the way to Mexico?" I ask, doing a bad job of keeping the venom out of my voice. She puts her fists on her hips and smirks at us, "For your information Nessie, they only ran as far as our library. If you hadn't been in such a hurry to jump your man, you may have noticed that fact yourself." I give her the number one sign and get to my feet. "Go pounce on your man Leah, this may just be the last chance you get," I advise, "I'm going to be making a big dinner for everyone on account tomorrow is the third and we know we'll be getting the call any time from here on out." Leah's smile falters for a second, but she forces it back in place and nods, "Whatever you want to do hun." She turns on her heel and marches into the library. Jake grabs my belt loops, "Maybe we should go upstairs honey," he suggests, his hands cupping my ass. I pat his cheek, "I really want to get started on dinner Jake. Take care of our pack one last time before we toss them to the sharks." His shoulders slump and his head falls against my stomach, "As you wish," he murmurs, quoting one of my favorite movies.

My husband is pouting as he follows me into the kitchen, once again reminding me of the teenager he truly is, despite his outer appearance. "Where do you need me?" he asks as I start digging in the pantry. "Um, how about going down to the the big white freezer and pull out the beef tips," I answer as I come out with ten boxes of pasta. I see the door to the basement open as I set them on the counter. "How many packages?" he calls up from the basement. I make the calculations in my head, "I'm going to need two for each package of noodles so all twenty. That should be good to make enough stroganoff for everyone." I gather the other ingredients while he totes up the incredible amount of meat. "Shouldn't we use hamburger?" he inquires after helping open each package and dumping them into various skillets on the stove. I shrug as I stir the browning beef, "I could, but I know that you all are going to need every bit of protein and carbs that I can pump into you so using a higher quality meat helps achieve that hun. Trust me, after cooking for werewolves all this time, I have learning some of the finer points to keep you as healthy as I can." He chuckles softly and steals a quick kiss, "You take such good care of us sweetheart, we don't deserve you."

I swat his ass with the spatula as he turns to gather the spices, "I'm the Alpha's mate Jacob, how could I not take care of our pack to the best of my abilities? How would it reflect on you if I just stood by and did nothing?" He drops the assorted jars on the counter and gathers me in his arms, "Our pack huh? Should I start calling you Mama Wolf then?" I plant a kiss on the tip of his nose, "Whatever the Great Alpha wishes as long as he remembers that his mate can and will kick his ass if he gets out of line." Jake gives a solemn nod, "Duly noted, my darling wife." I twist far enough in his arms to stir the beef once more, then slide my hands up under his shirt, smirking at the shiver that runs through him, "Okay Chief, you're going to have to let me go so I can feed our little band of deviants." His response gives me my own shivers. A low growl erupts from deep in his chest, "I'll never let you go," he vows, "You're my girl, remember?" I roll my eyes and eagerly accept his tender kiss before wriggling out of his embrace, "It's time for the werewolf to be good if he expects any dinner tonight," I chastise only to be met with his glowing smile and a shrug.

We spend the rest of the time cooking in easy conversation, avoiding the sword that now rests against our necks. By the time dinner is finally done, both packs are present and meandering somewhere on the property. When the decks were renovated at the Cullen estate, Jake and I really liked the idea of a covered deck and had a retractable awning installed so we decide to eat outside on the deck rather than in the house. Inwardly I'm relieved, I had no idea how we were going to fit everyone in the house. Witty banter and plenty of dirty jokes fill the air as we share what will probably be the last meal together. No one wants to acknowledge it, but in a few days time, there is a pretty damn god chance that some of the people we have come to love dearly will no longer be with us. My eyes fall to the newest members of Sam's pack and my heart constricts. Brady, age thirteen, and Colin, age fourteen years old, must go with us as much as we all loathed the decision. They have the potential to be one of our greatest assets or our greatest liabilities in the upcoming battle, but I can't help but think of their parents when they wake up tomorrow to discover that the boys have vanished into thin air. It's not like the airlines will be able to trace them, the fake ID's and private jet more than cover that. If either of them die, their parents will never get closure, their sons forever branded as teenage runaways. It fucking hurts to think of that possible outcome. But the truth fucking hurts, remember? Jake notices my downtrodden expression and squeezes my hand gently to get my attention. I conjure up a smile I don't really feel and kiss the top of his hand, hoping it will be enough of a hint to not press the matter. he answers with a kiss of his own before turning to answer a question Nicoli throws in his direction.

As the evening wears on, our impromptu party begins to break up with the packs members making their way to their other homes after threats to keep their cell phones on them at all times. I see Mischa and Seth making their way towards the stairs, and she gives me a conspiratorial wink as he picks her up bridal style and then races up the steps. I nudge my husband, "I think Mischa is finally going to give it up to him." Jake's head snaps around, "You mean? They haven't? But I thought?" I shake my head at each question, "He's still not legal age sweetheart. Not like that matters when werewolves involved, but I remember a certain young girl with those same reservations about a boy she was crazy about." He puts puts the last dish back in the cupboard and sticks his hand to me, "What ever happened to them?" I snicker as his hand envelops my own, "They had their ups and downs. She ended up being a lot crazier than either of them anticipated and then they discovered he was a werewolf."

We stop at the bottom of the stairs. "Is that it? Did they make it?" he asks, his espresso orbs shining with love and devotion as he gazes down upon me. "Yeah they made it alright. The crazy-ass girl up and married that bratty werewolf one day. Though, for the life of her, she still can't fucking understand why he chose her, passing over all of the normal girls who would have been so much better for him. Hell, the boy chose her before he ever imprinted and both of them got lucky enough that she ended up his soul mate after all." He lets go of one of my hands and raises it to lovingly caress my cheek, "And that stupid boy thanks his luck stars everyday that his dad forced upon him the trip to deliver that awful red truck to his dad's friends house instead of going out to play football with his buddies that day. He found his reason to live that afternoon, his reason for everything, and he's never let go of her."

He then picks me up in his arms and carries me to our room, never breaking eye contact the whole way. I'll never be able to accurately describe love-making in words. It would be like attempting to explain to a blind man how it looked when the universe was born. We meld our minds, our bodies, and our souls completely, losing ourselves in one another. It feels like forever and yet seconds go by as we touch, kiss, lick every single inch of each others bodies. Each scar, each freckle is carefully worshipped and memorized as we drink from the fountains of devotion and desire. I spend an eon tracing and kissing the swan tattoo on my husbands side while he does the same to the paw on my ribs. Once the tattoos and piercing are thoroughly explored, we move on to unmarred patches of flesh, clearly in no hurry for this to be over.

I'm awakened to my cellphone buzzing on the nightstand. I force my bleary eyes open to see my alarm clock reading 3:02 am. I fumble for the phone, the caller ID says Alice, and open it, not bothering to speak. She only speaks two words, but they make my blood run cold.

**"It's time."**

**Okay, my lovelies, guess what time it is???**

**You got it!**

**REVIEW OR DIE.**


	41. Part 41 War Games

**Everything copyrighted belongs to their respective owners, like I need to tell you that at this point**

**Gavin ****Rossdale****- Adrenaline**

You don't feel the pain

Too much is not enough

Nobody said this stuff

makes any sense

We're hooked again

Point of no return

See how the buildings burn

Light up the night

Such pretty sight

Adrenaline keeps me in the game

Adrenaline you don't even feel the pain

Wilder than your wildest dreams

When you're going to extremes

It takes adrenaline (You don't feel the pain)

Sail through an empty night

It's only you and I who understand

There is no plan

Get closer to the thrill

Only time will kill

What's in your eyes

Is so alive

Adrenaline keeps me in the game

Adrenaline you don't even feel the pain

Wilder than your wildest dreams

When you're going to extremes

It takes adrenaline

Run through the

speed of sound

Every thing slows you down

And all color that surrounds you

Are bleeding to the walls

All the things you really need

Just wait to find the speed

Then you will achieve

Escape velocity

Too much is not enough

Nobody gave it up

I'm not the kind

To lay down and die

Adrenaline keeps me in the game

Adrenaline you don't even feel the pain

Wilder than your wildest dreams

When you're going to extremes I

t takes adrenaline

Adrenaline

Screaming out your name

Adrenaline you don't even feel the pain

Wilder than your wildest dreams

When you're going to extremes

It takes adrenaline

(Adrenaline)

You don't even feel the pain

You don't even feel the pain

I'm going to extremes

There is nothing in between

You don't even feel the pain

You don't even feel the pain

You don't even feel the pain

**Part 41**

**War Games**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

"Change of plans sweetheart," Jacob confesses in a tired voice, "Bella's going to be sticking with the vamps and Rainne is going to be with you instead. Think that will work for you?" I pry my eyes away from the storm raging outside of the jet and light a cigarette despite the No Smoking sign. "Yeah Jake, I can take care of her. Has anyone told her yet?" I inquire after a wide yawn. He shakes his head no as he flops down in the chair beside me, "No, she's still asleep on Embry. I told him to let her get as much rest as she can, besides, I don't think plane rides agree with her stomach too well." I crack my neck and nod thoughtfully, "I'm not a big fan either. I keep waiting to drop out of the damn sky and crash into the ocean. Why the switch up on the pecking order?" He intertwines his fingers with the ones on my free hand, "One of the reasons is, with Bella's magic batteries not having the same shelf life, we figured that it would just be best to keep her with the vamps because she's the only witch who can keep up and she'll still be able to fight if she's drained too much to cast. The second reason is we don't want the wolves accidentally taking off Bella's head if they get surrounded and frenzy. Did I mention that, for some reason, Rainne feels safer with you? That small measure of comfort will help her keep focused to help where she can." I sigh loudly, "It's not like she can do much as it is. Open locked doors, light candles, shit like that, but I get what you mean. It's not her fault she'll never be more than a hedge-mage, but in this shit, I'll take what I can get. As for feeling safer with me, I have no fucking clue what's going on there."

He deftly scoops me up in his arms, sits in my seat, and deposits me into his lap. "Moot point love. Once we land, cars will be waiting for us at the airport, " he explains as I snuggle deeper into his loving embrace, "The vamps will be driving in case we need to dive out of the car mid-phase. Once we're close enough to the city, we'll split off and take advantage of all four entrances. Hey Jas, hand me that map will you?" Jasper rolls his eyes, but hands Jake the crumpled paper, who mutters his thanks before pointing out various grates and manhole covers, "We'll essentially be dropping down into the belly of the beast, but there are very few places that have room for an all out melee. It will minimize losses on our side while we get to put some serious hurt to them."

I nod absently, we have been through this a dozen times since we boarded the plane. "We still have to take into consideration the human guards that the Volturi have, " I grudgingly confess, "With the entire regular guard currently marching towards Forks, they will no doubt have doubled or even tripled the humans running around because they know about Carlisle's, and subsequently, his family's, aversion to harming humans." Carlisle's gentle blue eyes turn towards me, "What do you suggestion then Carlie?" I run a hand through my hair, "Let us witches deal with the human guard. It should be pretty damn simple to put them to sleep and if we can't make them sleep, well then, a little human on human violence is a small price to pay to save so many lives." I can see his body tense at the idea, but he quickly resolves himself to the reality of the situation and agrees with a weary nod, "That might be for the best daughter." I look to the cluster of wolves in what seems to be a deep discussion with Jasper and Eleazar, then back to my adopted father, "I don't think anyone will have a problem with my other idea." Everyone that is conscious turns to me, curiosity light in their eyes. "I think it would be a good idea to keep paired up as best we can once inside. Jake's right, if we can keep the fight contained to all of the tunnels and shit under the city, we'll stand a much better chance of winning because all the Volturi know is how to take out an enemy using overwhelming odds. How do you think they will react when things are kept on more even footing?" I watch as my idea is mulled over, their postures going from guarded to surprised to acceptance as they realize the new strategies made available to us.

I hear Emmett chuckle, "How is it that one of our human sisters has managed to think of a damn fine plan that was completely overlooked by our supposed great fighters like Jazzy and Eddie?" I stick my tongue out at him then throw him an ornery smirk, "Because, brother bear, this human sister of yours is one of the few that actually have to worry about the damage another human can do and therefore automatically looks for a way to neutralize the damn threat." Laughter fills the cabin, causing some of my dozing family members to stir. I roll my eyes and accept the hot coffee that Esme offers, "Thanks Mom." Her knuckles graze my cheek, "Not a problem sweetheart. You look tired, maybe you should try to sleep as well." I smile at her maternal concern, "I'd need a hell of a lot more Dramamine to keep my stomach settled long enough to nap any amount of time." Carlisle comes over, "I can give you a sedative that will help you sleep deep enough that you won't even dream, if you wish it." I mull his offer over for a minute before bobbing my head in acceptance. He disappears for a moment, and doesn't say a word as he reappears at my side, a syringe in hand. I watch the needle pierce my skin, then feel the cold burn of the tranquilizer as it saturates my bloodstream. The world around me begins to blur in no time and I faintly hear my Jacob telling me goodnight as everything fades to black.

"Time to wake up honey, we've landed, "Jake's dulcet tones bring me out of my dreamless slumber. I rub my face and check the time, "We're an hour behind?" He nods as he helps me to my feet, "The damn storm kept us from landing on schedule." I look around while I shoulder my bag and notice that I'm not the only one shaking the cobwebs from my mind. "Time to go spread some anarchy little sister!" Edward chortles, smacking my ass as he strides by. I give him the number one sign and fall into the line of people heading towards the exit, Jake's reassuring hand on the small of my back.

I throw my shield out over my family as I step on to the tarmac then double check every vampire in my line of sight for tell-all sparkles. When I'm satisfied that there is none, I take one last look at my family, memorizing each face the best I can. After being brought back to reality by a soft kiss on the hollow beneath my ear, I allow Jake to put my bag into the trunk of one of the cars and climb in the back seat. I see we are riding with Alice and Jasper, the latter in the driver's seat of the yellow 911 Turbo. "Let's get this show on the road," Jake mutters, his excitement and fear thick in his voice. I don't bother stifling a snicker, "Yes, let us hurry to greet death again before someone steals our place in line." My joke is actually met with three identical predatory grins. Alice plugs her iPod in and Paul Oakenfold's 'Ready, Steady, Go' starts blaring from the speakers as Jas slams on the gas. I hear the tires screech briefly before they find traction and feel the car lunge forward. It's going to be one of those rides, I think to myself as I lean against Jake's shoulder and light a cigarette.

It doesn't take long for Jake to shift us around so he can semi stretch his legs out across the pathetic excuse for a backseat. We do our best to keep the conversation light as we drive, even using the walkie-talkies to tell jokes to everyone in the other cars. We drive full speed and keep our stops for human moments to a minimum because we know that we only have a limited amount of time before the Volturi discover that they've been duped. As we draw closer to our destination, other vehicles join our caravan. Some of the nomads have decided to join the party after all. At one point, Jasper's phone rings and I hear him refer to the caller as Peter. Ah, his friend from the Southern wars. My suspicion is confirmed when Jas mentions Charlotte, Peter's mate. Well, that's two more on our side. Alice informs us that a few of Carlisle's Irish friends have also come to fight. It seems a number of nomads have deigned this as their opportunity to usurp the oppressive rule of the Volturi before things get even more out of hand. Many have learned of the execution order of the Cullen clan and know it is because of their chosen way of life. Let's just say that numerous vamps are really pissed of that the Volturi dare start wiping out whole covens because they don't agree with that coven's lifestyle. It is also well known, from what Alice explains, that the Volturi, Aro in particular, is terrified because there are covens out there that rivals his own in size. Evidently he doesn't like the idea of an even fight.

An ironic event occurs that will forever be burned into my brain. While us Americans are wishing each other a happy Independence Day, we catch our first glimpse of the legendary city known as Voltera. Well, it seems that Fate hasn't lost its sense of humor.

As we being our ascent along the winding road, a scary calm descends upon us with each person goes through their personal ritual of putting their game face on. I let my gift flow outwards, touching on the minds of my family. Some are praying, others are giving themselves pep talks while a few, like Sam, have called home to speak with their loved ones. Even Jake has called his father, speaking in soothing tones and making promises to come home safe and sound. None of us need to bring up that any such promises are blatant lies, but what's so wrong with a lie like that if it brings the person comfort? I close my eyes and rest my head against the window while ceasing my eavesdropping. Let them have their precious moments in peace, reality is literally just around the bend.

None of us speak as the cars are parked amongst the other tourists vehicles, it isn't needed, we know the plan. Each person carries a small duffel that contains the clothing we're going to change into in various random rooms throughout the city. The witches are up to bat as we switch out our wardrobes, shifting each persons scent as they don their outfits. The vampires finish off their supply of blood bags that they have been gorging themselves on every time we stopped along the way. It had been a smart move, storing so much animal blood for this trip, it saved them from having to hunt anywhere near this place and thus taking the chance of being exposed.

I'm pulling on my motocross-style boots, complete with kick plates, when Alice gasps. "What do you see Alice?" Jasper whispers, a hint of fear in his voice. "They know we're not in Forks and will be on their way back in less than two hours," she whimpers, her tiny form trembling in Jasper's arms.

**Fuck.**

Less than 18 hours. I walk over to the window and gaze out into the storm darkened town. It might only be early evening, but it looks closer to twilight, another irony I guess. *_It's crunch time guys, the __Volturi__ have figured it out. T-minus 18 hour__s_* I send the thought out to the family, carefully directing it to prevent anyone from 'overhearing'. Rainne and Embry enter the room, dressed and ready. I take a swig of my Red Bull and shift the scents of everyone in the room. My mind is reaffirming the directions to our entrance into the tunnels as I watch two figures pass by under the window. I can tell by their thoughts that it is Allen and Leah. Allen is wearing a beat up trench coat, ripped jeans, moccasin boots, a Marilyn Manson tee shirt, and a Pittsburgh Steelers ball cap. He has a shotgun and a sword strapped to his back under the long jacket. *_Is it ready?_* I think to him. He stops to light a cigarette, seemingly nodding at Leah as he does so. *_Yep, prepped and wait__ing_* he thinks back before offering his arm to Leah and resuming their stroll through the crowd.

"Allen and Leah just went by, time to saddle up," I inform them, surprising myself with the tinges of excitement evident in my voice. Jake appears from the bathroom, dressed in khaki shorts, tank top, and flip flops. I drop the kilt he hands to me into my little duffel, then sling it over my shoulder. I turn to hand him his sunglasses and am met with his lips crashing into mine, his tongue immediately begging for entrance. I eagerly let him in as I wind my arms around his neck. Neither of us battle for dominance, instead choosing to let ourselves get lost in the kiss itself. When we finally part, the room is empty, each couple having sought out a place to share a private moment. Jacob reverently presses his lips against my wedding band, his dark eyes burning with love, devotion, and unshed tears. "I love you Carlie Elizabeth Black, I'll only ever be your werewolf," he vows, his voice husky and wavering slightly. I, in turn, kiss his wedding band, then his lips. "I'll only ever love you, Jacob William Black. I'll always be your girl."

I put on my black and white skull bandanna and stoner sunglasses before giving him one last, toe-curling kiss. "Shiny, let's go be bad guys," I joke as we separate, quoting one of our favorite movies. He grins impishly and takes my hand in his own as we go to meet our fate, whatever it may be. We don't say goodbye because we know that we will either make it through this together or we die together and if the latter becomes inevitable, we plan on taking as many motherfuckers with us as we can.

**(Bella's ****POV****)**

Edward lays one last kiss over my still heart, his lips lingering on my skin for a few seconds before sitting up, "Time to go angel," he whispers while reaching for his black cargo pants. I don't answer, I simply begin dressing as well. As I pull the black Underarmor shirt over my head, my husband lets out a low chuckle. I turn to him, cocking an eyebrow. "Maybe you should go in with your hair like that love," he taunts while pulling on a boot, "I fucking love you so much, and there's nothing like my girl kicking Volturi ass while rocking the sex hair." I roll my eyes and take a brush to the tangled mess. "I love you too but you really have lost your vampire mind," I grumble as I don my own boots. He gives me that crooked grin and a wink, "At least I'm already married to someone who's lost their mind as well." "Fuck you Edward," I fire back as I straighten up and fix my shirt. He comes up from behind and wraps his arms around me, "Isn't that what we were just doing?" he teases, lips grazing my neck, "Trust me, if we had time, I'd give you an encore." He sucks on my earlobe long enough to make me moan aloud, then releases his iron grip on me. "Carlie and them are on the move now," Edward informs me, all traces of amusement now absent in his voice. I quicky pin my hair back, "We're next then. Ready?" Edward gets the most evil smile on his face as he picks up our bags, his liquid pools of jade freezing into a hard emerald. My husband looks down right terrifying now.

**"Absofuckinglutely."**

We make our way through the streets, easily blending in with the tourists wandering about, holding on to one another with mere fingertips. I test my shield, ensuring its integrity as we approach the alley where our entrance is. The band of French sightseers don't even notice us slip away from the group as we turn down the narrow opening. When we reach the man hole cover, Edward tosses me his bag before pulling the thick plate aside and dropping into the tunnel below while I keep a watchful eye out. "Drop them," he mutters from below so I drop both bags and begin my descent, pausing long enough to pull the cover back into place. Once I drop into the medieval drain, my nose is attacked by the foul aroma of human waste of all kinds. "Delightful, now I feel like I'm in the Shawshank Redemption," I growl while slinging my bag on once more. My husband answers with a dark chuckle, "It could be worse angel and probably will be before this is all said and done. This way." He begins slinking down the tunnel, no doubt on red alert now. I clear my head and swiftly follow behind.

One hundred and ten steps later, we both freeze as we come across another vampires scent. Two vampires, to be exact. I can hear the hum of their minds on the edge of my senses. They must not want to get to close. Wise move. Edward glances at me briefly and winks as he straightens from his defensive crouch. "Yes Jane, I can hear you," Edward says in a breathless whisper, "but you and Alec are making my wife nervous and she just might blast first and ask questions later so I suggest that this be done face to face." *_Alec and Jane? Ah, the infamous witch twins, I'm assuming?_* I think to Edward, who answers with an infanesimal nod. Two slight figures, one close to my size, the other closer to Alice's, appear from a hidden junction wearing black robes. Ashen hair and faces that could make a cherub envious peek from beneath their dark hoods; they couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen when they were turned.

A low growl from Edward prompts their halt nearly twenty yards from us. In one fluid motion, they pull their hoods back, then hold their hands out, palms up. "We would never harm our own kind," Jane says, a mix of awe and delight in her voice, "We believed we were the only ones to have survived with our talent intact." Edward snorts, "Why do you serve the Volturi then?" Alec takes a small step forward, "They saved us from the witch burnings and led us to believe that this was our intended path. Unholy creatures born to hunt down and punish other ungodly beings." Edward glares at him, "That's why you enjoyed torturing them so much Jane?" She lets out a heavy sigh and bobs her head, "Yes. Our entire vampiric existence we sincerely believed it was a good thing to punish those we hunted. But no longer. We have been observing your coven of witches since we were made aware of it and came to realize the horrendous mistakes we have repeatedly made."

"What do you want?" I finally ask, my annoyance flaring to the surface, "Forgiveness? Sorry, that's not in my power to give." They vehemently shake their heads, "No! Forgiveness is something we doubt we will ever earn," Jane hurriedly explains, "We were left in charge while the others made their way to your home in Forks. Aro was disappointed when we refused to take part in the destruction of a mage coven, but would not force our hand." Alec speaks up once more, "We cannot do much more than step out of your way and allow you to dole out whatever justice you see fit, we will not help or hinder you. That's all we wanted you to know. We will take our leave now." I reach out to their minds and discover that they have only spoken the truth. I raise an eyebrow to my husband, who smirks and nods. "Thank you," I sincerely tell them as we shuffle past their still forms and continue our trek.

Two problems down and a few thousand to go. This is going to be a long night.

Some time later, we hear the sounds of a skirmish and begin following the echoes to find its source. Suddenly the stone wall next to Edward explodes and Allen falls through, a wolf attached to one arm and firing his shotgun into its chest with the other. The wolf smells all wrong, nothing like the Quileutes. Holy crow! Children of the Moon! I punch my fist through its head and rip the carcass off of my brother, who is cursing enough to make a sailor blush. I stand him up and rip a strip from my shirt to tourniquet his eviscerated arm. "Fucking werewolf motherfuckers! Fucking bite me? What the fuck do I look like? A fucking milk bone?!" he screams and kicks the corpse that is beginning to shift back to his human form. Edward opens his duffel and pulls out a paramedic quality medical bag. As he works on Allen's arm, I set the body ablaze and peer into the room that Allen just vacated via werewolf tackle. Another werewolf is dead, body already returned to normal. I step into the room to burn it when Leah, in wolf form, breaks through the door on the opposite wall. "He's out there Leah," I gesture with my thumb, "He's been bitten." A horrified whines erupts from her muzzle as she bounds passed me to her mate. I torch the body and cross the wrecked space to investigate the room Leah had been locked in. It holds two dead humans, their cause of death made obvious by the bullet holes in their chests and heads. I don't take a chance and burn them as well.

There is another door and I listen at it before opening and I'm glad I did. Ten sets of footsteps. Humans. *_Edward, we're about to have company. Ten humans with guns. I need to put them all to sleep before they notice someth__ing__ is amiss_* I think to him as I draw my will. I focus on the ten heartbeats to pinpoint where each human is standing. "Sleep," I murmur as I release my will and am immediately rewarded with the sounds of ten bodies hitting the floor of the tunnel. "Done," I say loud enough for even Leah to hear, "There wasn't any splashing when they fell so I'm assuming that this is one of the ways into their little Emo lair, "I finish, borrowing some of my sisters snarky wording.

Edward has to duck his head to get into the room and is followed by Leah and Allen, who currently has his sawed-off shotgun slung over his injured arm as he reloads it. He's a little pale, but it doesn't stop him from smirking at the burning corpses as he lights a cigarette. "Let's just get this shit going, I've got a dinner date with the hottest chick on the planet," he teases, "and I think I'm going to get laid this time." Leah's barking/cough/laugh floats through the air as she sits back on her hackles and looks to me expectantly. I roll my eyes and swing open the door. My inspection of the new tunnel automatically brings my gaze to the ten guards sleeping peacefully. One is actually sucking his thumb. "Wow Bellaboo, you sure did a number on them, "Allen observes as we carefully step around their sleeping forms. "Stuff it Danford," I retort, not bothering to hide the smile that's erupted onto my face despite the dull ache that has begun in my throat.

Edward, Leah, and I raise our noses into the air, sifting through the plethora of scents and aromas. Fading odors of many vampires catch my attention. My throat flares momentarily. Human blood has been spilled recently, it's salt and rust flavor sticking to my tongue. Edward notices my change in posture and takes my hand, "There's been a fight," he points down the passage to our right, "That shit is over now though. We should go left. Leah, we have to keep Allen out of the moonlight tonight or he will phase and handling a newborn werewolf is not the thing any of us want to be doing right now, especially because it's your mate." Her large head moves up and down once and she repositions herself at Allens side, effectively placing him between her and the wall. He winks at her and offers a wan smile, "I'll be fine love."Allen's pale face is covered in a sheen of sweat, he has a fever. It doesn't put a dent in his sense of humor. "Hey guys, if I try and pull a Jasper and start eating the local population, would someone do me a mercy and ship me off to Antarctica or some shit?" I hear a dark chuckle rumble out of my husband as he repeats his answer to a similar question that was posed to him not so long ago. "Fucking penguins again?" his tone dripping with sarcasm as he rolls his eyes, "Lovely." I snort a laugh, "Let's get going, I hear movement coming this way. Vampires." Edward tilts his head, eyebrows furrowed as he concentrates. "Not us," his evil smile returns, "Time to kick some ass."

I change our scents as we stalk the small contingent of vampires. Edward peeks around a corner quickly, then turns to us and mouths 'House Guard'. The house guard is made up of vampires that have pledged servitude to the Volturi for one reason or another. Expendable assets. Well, no time like the present to liquidate.

As the first two men come into our line of sight, Edward and I leap at them. The group of vampires are no match for the combined strength and speed of the four of us and it takes no time to dismember the bodies and make a pyre out of them. We don't wait to be ambushed as the pungent odor wafts through the tunnels, instead choosing to hunt down our next victims. The entire night is spent as such, occasionally fighting through the resistance to meet up with other pairs, having battled towards us from the opposite end of the skirmish.

The bites sting, but are relatively easy to shrug off as the first rays of the morning sun filter through the grates above us. We're taking a our time, navigating our way to the tower where the three heads of the Volturi, Aro, Caius, and Marcus, hold their twisted version of court. According to Carlisle, they also frequently lure groups of tourists down and have mass feedings in it. A mass text message from Alice has assured us that this room is where the deciding battle will take place. Hmm, what a day of ironies. Edward's voice draws me from my musings. "We're here."

**(Mischa's ****POV****)**

"Motherfuckers, why do they always resort to using the butts of their guns?" I whine as I grasp my nose and yank it back into alignment. A half strangled gasp/moan escapes me as the bones snap back in place. Fuck that hurts. The tears rushing to my eyes obscure my vision for a few minutes until I can blink them all away. Seth, overtly concerned, whines and shifts uneasily at my side. I scratch the spot behind his ear, making his ears flatten and his head fall forward. Yeah, like he ever expected me to play fair. "I'm fine babe," I assure him, keeping my voice even despite the pain, "It's not like I've never had a broken nose. Though nice one on crunching the bastards leg." His wolfy face immediately takes on a smug expression at the acknowledgement that he saved my ass, once again, from certain death. I grab a handful of fur and pull myself to my feet, ignoring the intense throbbing sensations in my face and head. Seth also gets to his feet, a low pitched growl coming from him. "Don't worry darling, there are more, over there," I point in the direction Carlie's text indicated. He begins shifting his weight from one fore-paw to another, an obvious indication of his returned enthusiasm. I can't help but smile at my mate, then fight of a grimace at the spikes of pain that tear through my face. Nicoli and Alexi are awaiting us at the mouth of the dead end tunnel. I do a once over of their wounds to make sure they are healing well before climbing onto Seth's back and resuming our quest.

Three fights, and twelve ashed vampires, we find out pretty damn fast that our werewolves aren't the only ones that came to the party. Too bad we had to discover this in a room that only has one way out. Fuck me running.

I hear the keening cry of the last vampire stop as Alexi and another werewolf rip it to shreds. I can feel Seth's hair standing on end as he shrugs his shoulders, something is very wrong. This is always an indication for me to slide down from his back, so I comply while drawing my will around me. A moment later, the European werewolf lunges at Alexi's throat and I see a massive chunk of flesh torn away before I can blast the bastard off of him. A second too late, I turn the fucker into a canine popsicle. The wolfish screams of Nicoli make me cover my ears in a futile attempt to drown them out. Seth launches himself at the second werewolf, making short work of him. After the others are distracted, I rush to Alexi, whose ravaged body is still twitching in it's death throes. I can tell immediately that there is nothing I can do, I'm too late. I kiss his furry forehead while offering up a prayer of quick passage and get to my feet before burning the bodies of the dead. I cross the distance to the door, it's hinges ripped from the stonework, to see Seth and Nicoli shredding the other werewolf. "Get back boys," I rasp, fighting the sobs that threaten to overwhelm me, "I have to burn the body before the damn things starts healing."

Seth struggles to keep Nicoli in check while I torch the remains. "Seth, our pack needs to know that we've lost Alexi. We can't stop clearing this shit up, but we'll be slower now." Nicoli directs a menacing growl in my direction. I don't need the ability to read minds to understand that he's calling me every foul name in the book for sounding so detached. Seth rises to his full height and stands over the grieving wolf so I utilize the time to get in touch with Carlie. I call her cell and am fortunate enough that she picks up on the first ring. "Trouble?" she answers, sounding out of breath. I don't prolong Nicoli's agony. "Alexi is dead Nessie. Children of the Moon," I confess, "The fuckers are overrunning the place." I hear a heavy sigh, "Don't engage the other werewolves, Jake and Sam are on their way to their pack leader right now. Evidently there is more than one pack converging on Voltera and one of those packs claim to be vegetarians. Both of them saw an opportunity to take out the Volturi while we had our little coup but are now battling each other as well as us because neither of them know which side we're on. Allen's been bitten on top of everything Misch, one of the European wolves. He's alive and semi-functioning." I can hear him spewing a string of curse words a mile long in the background, "I can tell his mouth wasn't affected, pity," I reply, trying to keep things on a more even keel. "You have no fucking idea. Call me when you're close to the tower," she demands and hangs up.

I tuck the phone back in my vest pocket, "We're not to go after any of the other wolves because, I guess, that there is also a good wolf versus bad wolf thing going on and that's why we keep getting attacked. It's fucked up, but Carlie said that Jake and Sam both were going to talk to the pack leader of the good ones. They both snarl this time and I put my hands up, "Hey, don't kill the messenger, I'm just as pissed off as you are. Either way, we have to keep moving, she wants a call when we're close the tower."

Not twenty minutes later, I'm being carried, now barefoot, on my mates back. Goddamn vampires, you would have thought they would be smart enough not to start shattering random test tubes in a mini-lab, but no. Now my fucking boots are melted, I have a dislocated shoulder, and my lungs are on fire. "Stupid fucking cocksucking leeches, I'm going to barbecue the next motherfucker who thinks it's a good fucking idea to overthrow a fucking empire," I snarl as another one of Seth's hairpin turns forces me to scramble for extra leverage with my injured arm. Suddenly the wolves skid to a stop and I can't stop the whimper of pain this time Nicoli glances at me briefly, then to Seth, but before I can climb down I see them marching through one of the four way intersections of the tunnel system. I grab my phone and send a mass text containing one sentence.

**The Volturi have arrived.**

I barely get the phone back in my pocket before all hell breaks loose. The Children of the Moon are ambushing the entire Volturi guard. This definitely could work in our favor. My phone vibrates as I watch the chaos. It's Allen. "What?" I hiss, trying not to alert the combatants that they have an audience. "Change of plans," he says, his tone thick with pain, "Take out whatever wanders your way but do not, I repeat do not, get anywhere near that intersection. Let the bastards wipe each other out and pick off everything else. Every werewolf you are seeing are the bad guys Mischa, the vegetarians have retreated to another part of the castle to wreak havoc. Carlisle, Jake, Sam, and Carlie agreed that this was the best course of action because it minimizes our losses. Speaking of, Collin was swarmed by vamps and bitten a shitload of times, he might not make it. Quil's pretty fucked up too, got his ass kicked trying to get to Collin. Shit, I have to go, we're up." he hangs up the phone before I can say anything else.

I push the agony of the acid burns and my shoulder out as far as I can and draw on my will to eradicate our scents before searching out and blocking any secret passages from opening on this side. I see Nicoli look behind us and wag his tail in recognition. Emmett and Rosalie materialize in the dim light, their faces elated. "Killing or fucking?" I ask, half-afraid of the answer, but needing a distraction from the never-ending waves of pain and nausea that keep hitting me. Emmett pats Seth's rump, "A little of both Misch, you know, have to keep things exciting. Ouch! Damn Rosie, it was just a joke!" Rose just looks smug, I'm assuming it's because it's been a few hours since she's gotten to hit him for anything.

Those two must have brought battle vibes with them because it takes a total of about five minutes for a group of six to make a break for it in our direction. It takes nearly all of my concentration and energy to keep a grip on Seth until I spot a niche I can easily reach. I dive into it when Seth rears back to avoid the vampires roundhouse that was directed at his muzzle. A feel an icy hand clamp down on my ankle and yank me backwards. I collide with the cold stone, causing me to scream, and feel the bone shatter on the same arm that has the dislocated shoulder. Sonofafuckingbitch! I reach out with my good arm and grasp the vampires hand. "Burn," I spit through clenched teeth. He lights up like kindling soaked in kerosene, his screams easily camouflaging my own when he kicks my bad arm amidst his wild flailing. Seth tackles the walking pyre, driving him away from me. I ignore the cries of my body that are begging for unconsciousness and drag myself to my feet. I have to use the wall for support until the room stops spinning, the problem is someone decides to hit me from behind, sending me flying to the mouth of the tunnel. I see Seth's blurry form standing over me just as the world turns to black.

**(Allen's ****POV****)**

The fucking four way we've spent the past hour searching out looks like a fucking massacre. Werewolf parts and vampire parts strewn about like a damn mannequin factory. As I reload, I begin torching the twitching pieces of flesh. I see the blood seeping through the bandages on my arm. Fucking overgrown rabid chihuahuas on too many damn 'roids ruined my goddamn favorite trench-coat and I got infected with lycanthropy as a motherfucking consolation prize. Gee, you shouldn't have. No really, you shouldn't have. I snap the gun shut and fire at the nearest moving target. Great, now I'm going to have some skinny little blond chick and her ginger haired lesbian bff chasing me around wondering if I've seen a tall, dark, and brooding vampire who had the shitty luck of being cursed with a soul. I snort and light a cigarette as I step around the many little fires that have flared up. Fuck him, Spike had better style, though I wonder if Leah would mind a romp or two with the two chicks. I debate the pros and cons of that possibility for a few minutes. Nah, the emotional baggage far outweighs the few hours of fun. Fuck. Got to find a better way to talk Leah into a threesome. I take another shot at a werewolf launching at the love of my life, blowing a huge fucking hole in its chest. Damn! What the hell did Edward inject me with? I haven't felt this fucked up since Misch, Seth, Leah, and I ate that whole bag of shrooms on Beltane.

Fuck me! Did Bella just rip that guys head off?! Remind me not to get on Bellaboo's bad side. Oh, wait. Bella and Leah 69ing........nice. I think I have a new favorite fantasy. I glance sideways to find Edward glowering at me. I shrug and grin stupidly at him. *_How'd__ you like that one Eddie? Too much detail or not enough? And um Ed, you might want to kill that vampire that was ripped in half behind you, it looks like she's aim__ing__ to rip your dick off. Don't worry though man, you lose your sparkly dick, I'll be more than will__ing__ to __share__ mine with Bells for you._* Edward responds by crushing the female vampires head like a beer can between his hands. I wink at him *_works every time motherfucker. Does anyone else realize how wasted I am __Eddiekins__?_* His eyes narrow and he shakes his head no. Fuck, I need to get my head clear because that blond vamp with the skin like an onion husk and the fucked up cataract infested eyes is looking at me like I'm the only virgin at senior prom.

I wonder if Eddie boy is going to be upset that he now smells like cotton candy? Maybe I should have thought about that a little more before I changed his scent. Oh well, at least he isn't walking around smelling like a new dildo. Emmett got that honor a few hours ago. I take the top of a werewolf's head off, wow do those fuckers bleed. Reminds me of those cheesy ass water fountains you see at the mall all the time. Damn, that shit Ed gave me is good. I know the first motherfucker to buy me a pink flea collar is going to be spending the rest of their lives without the ability to fuck someone. I sidestep another vampire with no arms and quick freeze them before they can fucking bite me. Heh, I just said bite me.

I wonder if Leah would want to join the mile high club on the way home?

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

I can hear Allen rambling to himself as we destroy all of the vampires and werewolves scattered about the room. I never realized how graphic and twisted his mind could get. Edward is giving him death glares so his thoughts must be even more screwed up than what's coming out of his mouth. Bella is taking care of Mischa so neither of them will be any help in that area. Leah is following close behind him, still in wolf form, laughing her ass off as she fights. I'm pretty sure that I saw Emmett recording him with his phone, at one point, on top of everything. Poor bastard, if we survive this, Emmett's going to put his ass on YouTube for sure.

Suddenly I see the wolves and vampires look to each other then take off down another tunnel. I grab Jacob as he runs by, using the momentum to swing onto his back. *_What's going on?_* I think to my mate as I settle between his shoulders. *_More vampires came to party, what else?_* he scoffs, taking the right fork when the tunnel splits. Soon I hear the sounds of battle and draw my will again. No rest for the wicked.

We burst into another room, vampires and werewolves all over the damn place, trying to rip each other to pieces. A burgundy eyed vampire dives at us and Jacob bounds sideways, off of the wall, to avoid the hit. As Jake digs his claws in and speeds along the wall a few feet, I pull the fire from a wall sconce and direct it towards the pursuing vampire and three others, who proceed to light up like torches. My mate then lunges at a dark skinned vampire who has managed to get a grib of Jared's tail. Jake bites into the guys leg, causing him to screech and release the other wolf. I take the opening to freeze the water he's covered in, then spreading it until he becomes a vampsicle. I kick at him as we fly by, he shatters as he hits the wet stone floor. I face forward again in time to see one grab Carlisle and bit his shoulder. I heave a few pieces of a broken wall at her, effectively knocking her away from my adopted father.

Another comes from behind us, raking Jake's leg before Paul can tackle him. I'm nearly thrown off as Jake whips around, him and Paul making quick work of the man. Rosalie comes into view, she's actually using some chicks own arm to beat her head in with. Damn, go Rose! Peter's keening grabs my attention and I redirect a flame at his attacker, making Peter jump and crawl across the ceiling before dropping down onto one stalking Edward. His teeth easily sink into the vampires flesh and I freeze the head as Peter rips it from the body and tosses it at me. "Dick," I chuckle, earning a smirk from him. I hear Mischa, in my head, screaming for us to get out, that there are too many. *_You have under two fuck__ing__ minutes before this place lights up like the fourth of July! Allen and __Rainne__ have set the bomb to blow!_* I send out the thought to our family, swallowing my sudden panic. "Fuck!" I shout, "Jake, we have to get the hell out now!" *_Bomb!_* he thinks to me as we jump over a few vamps *_What fuck__ing__ bomb?_* *_The one we've been build__ing__! It's actually an amplifier, Allen must have shot a spell into it, that's the only way to start the timer_* I explain, reaching out my arm as we run by Peter and Charlotte. They swing up easily, surprising the hell out of me that my arm didn't dislocate when Peter had grabbed me.

Faster than I thought possible, we're crashing through a rusted grating and bounding out into the dull morning light, the city of Voltera over a mile sought of us. Jake lopes towards a stone shed, standing in front of the door so Peter and Charlotte can dismount and check inside. We can see flames shoot out of mutliple places on the hillside under the walled city, no doubt incinerating anything left inside. "Well, that's something you don't see every day," I blurt out, completely taken aback by the surreal vision of the flames mixing with the fog. Suddenly we're tackled a giant of a vampire, the impact tearing me from Jacob's back, and the last thing I see is the wall coming at me really damn quickly.

***wipes forehead* Please don't chop me into tiny bits for not giving a cohesive fight. Battles are confusing things and that was the feeling I was trying to give as I wrote it. You're probably going to kick my ass either way so we might as well get to it. *hangs head***

**Oh, and like always...**

**REVIEW OR DIE DAMMIT**!


	42. Part 42 The Fork in the Road

**Still don't own anything. ****Meh****....**

**A/N:**

**For those who missed the last author's note. Yes, this is the end of Twilight Twins. I have no fucking clue if I'm going to do a sequel or not yet. I might be trying a new story, if I can get shit to fall into place in the insane asylum that is my mind. I do want to thank everyone again who has stuck with me through my first venture in writing fan fiction, I love you guys. My husband thinks it would be funny if people sent me questions about shit so go ahead, if you want to, and if I can't answer them, I will cheerfully beat him about the head and shoulders and make him answer them.**

**R.E.M.-End of the World As We Know It**

That's great it starts with an earthquake Birds and snakes and aeroplanes And Lenny Bruce is not afraid

Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn World serves it's own needs, dummy serve your own needs Feed it off an aux speak grunt no ladder with a clatter fight, fear flight down height Wire in a fire representing seven games and a government for hire in a combat site Left of west and coming in a hurry with the furies breathing down your neck

Team by team reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped Look at that low playing, fine, then Uh-oh overflow, population common food, but it'll do Save yourself, serve yourself, world serves it's own needs Listen to your heart bleed dummy with the rapture and the revered and the right, right Vitreolic, patriotic stand, fight, bright, light Feeling pretty psyched

It's the end of the world as we know it It's the end of the world as we know it It's the end of the world as we know it And I feel fine

Six o'clock TV hour, don't get caught in foreign towers Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn Locking in, uniforming, book-burning, blood-letting Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate Light a candle, light a votive, step down step down Watch your heel, crush, crushed uh-oh this means No fear cavalier, renegade, steer clear A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives And I decline

It's the end of the world as we know it It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)  
It's the end of the world as we know it And I feel fine

I feel fine

The other night I dreamt of knives, continental drift divide Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs Birthday party, cheescake, jellybean, boom you Symbiotic patriotic slam book neck Right? Right!

It's the end of the world as we know it It's the end of the world as we know it (It's time I had some time alone)  
It's the end of the world as we know it And I feel fine

I feel fine

**Part 42**

**The Fork in the Road**

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

My wolves are in shambles. With the combined losses of Paul, Alexi, Collin, Quil, and Sam, our victory celebration is muted, to say the least. Jacob and I have done our best to comfort the now combined pack, but it hasn't been easy. Having a cracked skull and a broken wrist isn't exactly conducive with the fits of grief and rage that are a part of our lives presently. Our own pain is surmounted with the vampires loss of Kate, Garrett, Tanya, Amun, and Kebi. Things wouldn't have been this bad if the Romanians hadn't tried to incite a riot amongst the survivors in an attempt to situate themselves as the new rulers of the vampire world. The damage done to Vatican City alone, where the Romanians had retreated to make their epic announcement, will leave both the mundane and supernatural worlds scarred for centuries to come. Luckily, the mundanes chalked everything up to an earthquake to cover the damage and fires that popped up all over the area.

Unfortunately we soon learned that our torture is far from over. Two nights after the battle and subsequent treaty that created a council to oversee the vampire world, we received news of Harry Clearwater's death. Another heart attack, the doctor had determined. Billy had broken down on the phone when Jake called to tell him the outcome of our battle. With the combined memorial service for the lost wolves, having been held just two days after Harry's burial, yesterday to be exact, no one is in their right minds at the moment. The official story for the deaths of the wolves is that the plane they had rented to go sight seeing in Colorado had malfunctioned and crashed, killing all onboard. Carlisle has spent a lot of time doling out tranquilizers to the wolves so they don't accidentally phase in front of everyone.

Whatever motherfucker said that freedom was free is full of shit.

Allen stirs in his hospital bed, pulling me out of my musing. I sit up in my chair to check on him, thankfully, he doesn't wake. Having a broken back and being infected with lycanthropy hurts like a sonofabitch. I stretch and look around my living room turned hospice. Mischa is dozing in her own hospital bed, her bruises inky blotches against her skin in the moonlight. Leah and Seth would still be hovering if Jake and I hadn't made them go spend the night with their mother. I reach for my coffee cup, only to find it empty. Shit.

On cue, Edward strolls in with a fresh cup of coffee as I get to my feet. "What time is it?" I inquire as I gratefully take the steaming mug. "Almost four. How are you holding up? Are you hungry?" he replies, worry evident on his features. "I feel like shit Edward, and no, I'm not hungry. I think I'd just puke it up anyways," I admit while walking over to the back door and lighting a cigarette for each of us, "Has Jake been through lately?" He takes his smoke and leans on the door frame, "Yeah, about two hours ago. He came to say hi but you were out cold. He also wanted you to know that Emily and Kim are over at Sue's place in case you called to check on them. He was heading over to take some groceries to them and talk to Billy when he woke up. Not much more to update than that except that Benjamin and Tia left with Carmen and El last night."

Rainne appears at the bottom of the stairs, looking adorable in her Scooby-Do cami and pajama pants. "How are they?" she rasps, her voice still thick with sleep. Edward glances at the monitors, "Much better actually. Carlisle usually does a pretty fucking good job patching people up." She scratches her head and makes a half-hearted attempt to smooth out her bed hair, "Awesome. Is there any coffee?" Edward flicks his cigarette out into the darkness, "Yep. Grab a seat and I'll get you a cup." He disappears before she can protest. She stares in the direction of the kitchen for a moment, then plops down on a giant bean bag chair near the back wall, "He's awfully helpful this morning and not one smartass comment, must be having an off day," she muses as she pulls her hair up in a messy bun. I chuckle softly, "Edward might be an asshole, but when he calls you family, there is nothing he wouldn't do for you. He loves those two as much as we do. It's good to have him here because he has two medical degrees under his belt so if either of them have any problems, we don't have to wait on Carlisle." Rainne nods thoughtfully then jumps as Edward appears at her side, coffee and a cream cheese danish in his hands. She thanks him and he gives her a wink before excusing himself to go check on the Goth Twins. If we weren't do damn drained, our injuries would be healed already. It sucks that was have to spend at least a week recharging before we can even think about fixing anyone.

We sit in relative silence while Rainne eats her danish, the only sounds other than our breathing is the quiet hum of the machines hooked up to our brother and sister and Edward ghosting around them while he does another check-up. I grab my sketchbook from the coffee table and start penciling at random, just to keep my hands busy more than anything. Hopefully the throbbing in my head won't get any worse by doing this. Once Edward is finished with Allen and Mischa, he comes over and nudges my leg and sticks out his hand, revealing two little pills in his palm. "For the pain and don't fucking argue with me," he commands, leaving no room for contention, so quietly I take the pills and pop them in my mouth then wash them down with a swig of coffee. Afterwards, he pulls off my bandanna and inspects the ten staples on the right side of my head and the large bruise surrounding them. Good thing the sides of my head are already shaved or I would look more ridiculous than I already do. Stupid, giant vampires. I hiss when he touches the area where my skull is cracked, even though his fingers are feather light on my skin. "That bad?" he asks and I nod, "Having your head bounced off of a stone shed generally has that effect on us poor humans brother mine. All I know is that I'd better be getting fucking hazard pay for this." He gently slides the bandanna back on my head, "I'll see what I can do little sister, till then, I'd suggest taking it easy and actually healing up for once." I roll my eyes and go back to my drawing,"Whatever Cullen."

Two hours and four cups of coffee later, I hear the familiar sounds of my husband's Challenger coming up the driveway. After a nod from Edward and Rainne that they have things in hand, I sprint across the house and out the front door. I leap from the porch, knowing my werewolf will catch me. His massive arms break my fall and then his lips are on mine. When we finally have to come up for air, I see the sparkle in his eyes and suddenly I remember why this kind of life is worth living. I couldn't give this life up or regret it because of everything I have gained. My husbands simple greeting now carries a new meaning.

**"I'm home."**

**(Bella' ****POV****)**

Morgantown, WV. 208 cloudy days a year, just in case something goes wrong with our magic. Plenty of wilderness to hunt. Number six on the list of top party colleges in the United States. Ample opportunity to get into loads of trouble. I groan inwardly. What have we gotten ourselves into? A year ago we were recuperating from the biggest battle the world has never seen and now we are all moving cross country to attend West Virginia University because our pack of teenage werewolves and their mates ganged up on us and thought it was a good idea.

"Bellaboo, you know I love you dearly, but if you don't get your shit into the truck in five minutes, it's staying here," Emmett yells from the front yard. I look around for the last time, still in shock that Edward and I were leaving the sanctuary that was our cottage for who knows how long. "On my way brother bear, don't get your thong in a twist," I retort as I pick up the two boxes containing my favorite books and carry them out to the moving truck. As I come out of the house, I feel the warm evening sun on my face and close my eyes momentarily to revel in the sensation. Emmett lays a peck on my forehead as he takes the boxes and loads them.

Edward's strong arms wrap around my waist and he rests his chin on my right shoulder, "Penny for your thoughts?" I lay my head back against his chest, "Just nervous love. Unlike my dashing husband, I've never been to college before." His body lightly shakes with his mirth, "Don't worry angel, I'll protect you from the drunken frat boys, I promise." I roll my eyes, "I can take care of myself Edward or do I have to kill your new Volvo to prove it?" I feel him shake his head, "Let's not get hasty Mrs. Cullen. There's no need to go murdering my vehicles because you're feeling pissy." It's my turn to laugh, "Don't give me a reason to be pissy then Mr. Cullen and I might have mercy and spare your damn car." He presses his lips to the hollow beneath my ear, "Come on, everyone is waiting on us."

We get Emmett to take a picture of us in front of the cottage before hopping in the truck and driving to Carlie's. The movers will pick this truck up tomorrow along with the others so I'm not worried too much about our belongings. We are taking our cars and drving across the country, making the trip into an event in its own right. Carlisle and Esme have already flown out to get things ready for our arrival. We will have two additions to our group for now. In the past year, Emily and Rachel had found solace in one another and are probably going to be the cutest lesbian couple at WVU. We are very careful to watch out for them after an incident in Port Angeles in which a minister had actually thrown a soda on them as they walked out of the movie theater holding hands. Jake thinks it's hilarious that his sister bats for the same team that he does.

Allen shiffles out of the garage, working out the kinks in his back. I wipe a smudge of grease from his cheek and give him a hug. "You've been playing grease monkey again Allen?" I ask, "Leah is going to be pissed when she finds out you've been overworking your back like that." He swats my rump, "Then we won't tell her, will we Bells? Besides, we are changing the oil and shit in all the cars before we take off in the morning, not overhauling engines." I muss his hair, "You say that now, but don't hide behind me when your fiancee shows up to kick your ass."

"What the fuck do you think you are doing Jacob William Black?!" my sister screeches from in the house, "There is no way in hell that I'm packing nothing but lingerie to wear on a road trip across the fucking US!" I can hear Jake failing in his attempts to stifle his laughter, "But honey, it's summer and it's going to get hot in the car! I'm just looking out for your well-being!" Crap. Edward has rubbed off on Jake more than anyone realized. Carlie growls in frustration, "Jake, if you don't want strapped to the fucking front bumper of the truck the entire duration, you will find the clothes I had packed and put them back in my suitcase. And if it's not done by dinner, don't even think you are getting laid until after school starts." A plaintive whine escapes the werewolf as my little sister stomps down the stairs and on to the porch. "Bella, I'm going to castrate your husband for giving my husband advice on what I needed to pack for this clusterfuck everyone is calling a road trip," she snaps as she lights her cigarette.

I glance around, but Edward has once again disappeared to avoid the wrath of his best friend. I finally toss my hands up in defeat, "At least make sure it can be reattached when you calm down or I'll make you share Jake to satisfy my needs." A feral growl from in the garage alerts my sister and I to my husbands location. Carlie's eyebrows furrow in concentration and an impish grin spreads across her face. I feel the electrical charge as she releases her will. "Ow! Fuck! Ow! Carlie, I'm sorry!" Edward yelps from the cavernous room and limps out, holding his left ass cheek. "No need to be a bitch Nessie," Edward whines as he continues to rub the damaged area, "I merely suggested that he pack some lingerie for you to make the trip a little more interesting."

"Head's up!" Jasper shouts as he launches a football in our direction. Embry dives off of the roof of the garage, catching the ball right before he tucks in and rolls across the mossy earth. Four other wolves are on him by the time he stops, but none manage to wrestle it away from his iron grasp. The only wolf not joining us is Brady who interestingly enough found his imprint on his 14th birthday, a cute girl named Ember who is only six months his senior. He has already chosen to stop phasing after securing the blessings of his extended family. Embry jumps to his feet and fires the pigskin to Alice who, in turn, throws it to Rosalie because she's climbed on top of one of the moving trucks.

Tonight is just us goofing around. Everyone who has family to say farewell to are trickling in after spending the last three days with them, uninterrupted, while the rest of us packed. Leah and Seth pull up in the middle of the impromptu football game, narrowly avoiding Emmett streaking by with the ball, the others fast on his heels. Carlie is sitting on Allen's lap, the both of them drinking a beer while enjoying the game. Leah glares at her in mock anger as she saunters up. "What the hell are you doing hanging on my man Black?" she demands in a nasal voice. Carlie shrugs and smirks at her, "Making my husband jealous soon to be Mrs. Danford, why in the hell else would I be subjecting myself to the hard on that popped up when you arrived?" Leah laughs heartily and sticks her hand out to help Carlie to her feet. My sister accepts it after kissing Allen on the cheek, "I'm going to find another beer, who else wants one?" Leah and Allen accept and she stumbles off, a bit tipsy already. "Should we warn Jake that Carlie's about half-toasted already?" Allen asks as his mate settles herself into the space Carlie just vacated. I shake my head, "Let him figure it out for himself. He's the one who convinced her to have a few drinks to begin with so he can be the one holding her hair when she's vomiting her guts out later on." Allen grins, "Sounds good to me sis."

I wander off to start the bonfire when I hear the game has made it to the lake. Wonderful, how many are going to drown while bobbing for footballs? I quickly decide that I'd rather not know as I pile the logs into a cone shape and will the kindling to catch fire. I catch a whiff of pond water just before my sodden husband scoops me up into his arms and gives me a fierce kiss. I pound on his chest until he releases my lips so that I can yell at him. "You're soaking wet Edward! What the hell?! I have a white shirt on you jackass!" I hiss, while trying to separate myself from his locked arms. His grin is ornery and those green pools are dark with lust, "Come on angel, the every fact that you are wearing my white tee shirt and no bra was cause enough for me to find a way to get you wet." He rolls his hips against my rear, emphasizing the double meaning. I growl at him, "Damn it Edward, the whole reason I'm not wearing a bra is that every time I buy one, you shred it the first chance you get!" He chuckles and lays biting kisses along my neck and collarbone, "Oops," is his only explanation as his hands sneak under my wet shirt and cup my breasts and grazes my peaks with his thumbs. My mind battles my body and my body wins, releasing a throaty moan and pushing back against him. One of his hands lets go of my now aching nipple and travels downward, easily sliding beneath the waistband of my jeans and immediately gliding between my wet folds. I bite back a whimper as he teases my sensitive bud in rhythm with the assault on the breast still in his hand.

"Dammit Edward, get your hand out of her pants or get a fucking room," Allen grumbles as he and Leah stroll over, both carrying camps chairs. Edward's hands fly to my waist, "Go fuck yourself Danford. You're just jealous because you actually have to take breaks in between sessions of fucking your girl senseless." Allen gives him the number one as he settles into his chair, "Nah, I don't need that many sessions to make my girl cum like you do asshat." I push away from Edward, "Okay, I'm not sticking around for this garbage. Edward, let me know when you've remembered at least the basics of a little thing called manners. Leah, would you like to join me?" I extend my hand to her and she takes it with a smile. We stalk off in the direction of the house before either of the cavemen formulate any other answer than a groan when they realize how badly they just messed up.

Inside the house, all of the girls are congregated in the living room, dancing to 'Redlight District' by Porcelain and the Tramps. Carlie spots us and bounces over to us, "You dump your boys too?" We nod and she chortles knowingly, "What stupid ass thing did they do this time?" Leah and I explain the conversation that had erupted and she nearly falls on the floor laughing. "They must have switched their brains off or something. Idiots. Come dance with us instead!" She drags us over and pushes us to the group already gyrating to the music.

It doesn't take long to get lost in the hypnotic beats and the easy conversations flowing through the room and before I know it, two hours have passed. I would have remained oblivious if it hadn't been for Carlie tapping me on the shoulder and pointing to my husband, who is standing in the doorway with a morose expression on his face. His beautiful jade eyes are pained when they meet mine and I force myself to look away. He needs to suffer a bit longer for being such a jackass about our intimate life, though I'm far from angry at this point for his open mouth-insert foot moment. I continue dancing, but make my way towards him at an agonizingly slow pace because I know exactly what it is doing to him. By the time I'm standing in front of him, he has fallen to his knees and is panting with need. I reach out a hand and run my fingers through his bronze locks and am rewarded with a low purr that begins to rumble in his chest. "I'm sorry Bella," he chokes out, trying to keep his desperation out of his voice. He moves to get up and I plant a foot on his thigh, keeping him in place. "Sorry for what Edward?" I ask in my most innocent tone, keeping my face smooth despite the shudder that runs through his body when my bare foot touches his leg. Edward breathes a barely audible whimper, "I am sorry that I was so damn inconsiderate about our love life. Please Bella, I need you." I raise my foot to his chin and lift his face, "Don't ever do that again Edward or I swear your only lover will be your hand for six months, got it?" He nods enthusiastically, "Yes!" he nearly yells. I pat him on the head, "Good boy," and walk away, leaving him perplexed until I get to the stairs, "Coming dear?" He has me in his arms in a flash, "Not yet I'm not," he growls as he races to the top floor to find an empty room.

**(Carlie's ****POV****)**

So there you have it, the story of how my sister and I went from being orphaned witches to the deliciously dysfunctional people we are today. Our breakthroughs and breakdowns, our loves, our hates, our losses and gains. We haven't lived a normal life and I wouldn't trade it for anything, not anymore. Every moment of joy and sorrow I have experienced on this path has made me stronger and wiser. I certainly never believed any of this was possible when Bella and I stepped off of that little plane in Port Angeles a few short years ago and if someone would have tried to tell me what my life would become, I wouldn't have hesitated in calling the nice men in the white coats, you know, the ones that carry the really fucking big needles? I could tell you more, but what would be the fun of spinning the entire tale at once? Who knows, maybe I'll tell another tale on another day, it just depends on where the winds blows me I guess.

**(Mischa's POV)**

Carlie, quit being such a fucking drama queen before I come bitch slap the shit out of you.


End file.
